Beast Evolution Forge-Chapter 179 - 2nd Floor

The town was busy with people going about their day. Merchants called out from stalls, selling everything from fresh bread to weapons. Children ran through the streets, laughing and playing. It was lively, much more than they expected.

Vell led his group through the main gate, where two guards stood watching everyone who entered.

"Adventurers?" one guard asked, eyeing their weapons.

"Yes," he replied. "Just cleared some dungeons nearby."

The guard nodded. "Welcome to Stonehaven. Guild house is in the center if you need it. Just keep the peace while you’re here."

They walked through the streets, drawing curious glances from the locals. It wasn’t every day that a group like theirs came through.

"Master, should we find an inn first?" Regina asked, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "We could all use some rest."

"Food first," Jolly cut in, her stomach growling loudly enough for everyone to hear. "I’m starving after that dungeon."

He nodded. "Food, then information about the portal."

They found a tavern called The Sleeping Dragon near the center of town. It was warm inside, filled with the smell of roasting meat and fresh bread. A large fireplace crackled in one corner, and tables were scattered throughout the room.

"Find us a table," he told them. "I’ll order."

While the others found seats, he approached the bar where a middle-aged woman was wiping glasses.

"What can I get you?" she asked, looking him over with sharp eyes.

"Food for seven, whatever’s hot. And information."

She raised an eyebrow. "Information costs extra."

He placed a small pouch of coins on the counter. "I’m looking for the portal to the second floor."

Her eyes widened slightly at the weight of the pouch. "Ah, moving up in the world, are we?" She pocketed the coins. "Food will be out soon. As for the portal..." She leaned in closer. "It’s in the old temple at the north end of town. But you’ll need guild approval to use it."

"Guild approval?" he frowned.

"New rule from the capital. Too many unprepared adventurers getting themselves killed on the second floor, so now the guild has to sign off on anyone going up."

"Thanks for the information." He walked off back to his team.

When he returned to the table, the others looked at him expectantly.

"Portal’s at the north end, in a temple," he told them. "But we need guild approval first."

Wren groaned. "More bureaucracy? Can’t we just sneak in?"

"We could," Luna said thoughtfully, "but it might create problems later. Better to do this properly."

"Luna’s right," he said. "We’ll eat, rest, then visit the guild house."

The food arrived—platters of roasted chicken, potatoes, and vegetables, along with fresh bread and mugs of ale. They ate hungrily, the exertion of their dungeon runs catching up with them.

"Master," Ada said between bites, "that container you’re carrying... the slime. Is it safe?"

He glanced at his pack where the container was stored. "Safe enough. The runes are holding."

"But why keep it?" Jia asked. "Seems dangerous."

He was quiet for a moment. "Potential. Everything has potential."

[You’re being sentimental again.] Viana’s voice echoed in his mind.

’Maybe. Is that so bad?’

[Not bad. Interesting.]

Ruby leaned forward, her voice dropping. "Speaking of potential, when are you going to teach us more advanced techniques? We’ve been clearing dungeons, but I feel like there’s so much more we could learn."

The others nodded in agreement, looking at him with expectation.

"Soon," he promised. "The second floor has stronger opponents. You’ll need to be stronger too."

After they finished eating, they rented rooms at the inn attached to the tavern. The plan was to rest for a few hours before visiting the guild house.

In his room, Vell sat cross-legged on the floor, the nuclear slime’s container before him. He opened it carefully, letting the little creature hop out onto the wooden floor.

"Let’s see what you can do," he murmured.

The slime bounced happily, its blue and pink colors swirling. Each bounce released a tiny pulse of energy, but nothing dangerous—at least not yet.

[You’re planning to tame it?]

"Yes. If we can get those energy bursts on our side, it could be useful."

[....It’s been a while since you tamed something huh?]

He smiled slightly. "Yeah, it has been a while... time sure does fly."

The nuclear slime bounced excitedly around the room, leaving tiny glowing spots wherever it touched the floor. He watched it carefully, studying its movements.

"Let’s see if you understand me," he said, holding out his hand. "Come here."

The slime hesitated, then hopped toward him slowly. It stopped just shy of his fingers, trembling slightly.

[It’s cautious. Smart.]

"Good," he said to the slime. "I won’t hurt you."

He reached into his pack and pulled out a small crystal. It glowed faintly blue, pulsing with stored mana. He set it on the floor between them.

"Hungry?"

The slime bounced once, then inched toward the crystal. When it touched the glowing stone, it absorbed it completely. Its body flashed brightly for a moment, the blue and pink colors swirling faster.

"It can absorb corrupted mana." He murmured.

[Be careful. It might get too energetic.]

As if on cue, the slime began to pulse more rapidly. Small waves of energy radiated from its body, making the floorboards vibrate slightly.

"Easy now," he said, reaching out with his own mana. He created a thin shield around the creature, containing its energy bursts. "Let’s work on control first."

The slime seemed to understand. Its pulsing slowed, the energy waves becoming gentler.

"Good girl," he said, allowing himself a small smile.

A knock at the door interrupted his training session. "Master? The others are ready," came Regina’s voice.

This chapt𝓮r is updat𝒆d by ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom.

He quickly guided the slime back into its container. "Coming," he called.

Downstairs, his companions waited in the tavern’s main room. They looked refreshed after their brief rest.

"Ready to deal with the guild?" he asked.

Jolly cracked her knuckles. "Ready to get to the second floor, you mean."

They made their way through the streets to the guild house—a large stone building with a symbol of crossed swords above the entrance. Inside, adventurers of various ranks gathered around notice boards or sat at tables discussing quests.

An older man with a scar across his cheek sat behind a desk near the entrance. His eyes narrowed as they approached.

"New faces," he noted. "What can the guild do for you?"

He stepped forward. "We need approval to use the portal to the second floor."

The man looked them over carefully. "All of you? Show me your adventurer cards."

They each presented their cards that recorded their accomplishments and rank.

The man examined each one, his expression growing more impressed. "This is impressive, very impressive. You are all so strong."

He handed their cards back, nodding with approval. "Well, I can see you’ve all cleared enough dungeons. That’s the main requirement for accessing the second floor."

"So we can go through the portal?" Wren asked eagerly.

"Almost." The man pulled out a ledger and opened it. "There’s a small fee, of course. And you’ll need to sign here, acknowledging the risks."

Vell placed a pouch of coins on the desk. "This should cover it."

The man counted the coins quickly and pushed the ledger toward them. "Each of you needs to sign. The second floor is no joke - monsters are stronger, dungeons are trickier, and if you get in trouble, help is harder to find."

They each signed their names while the man prepared their approval documents.

"Here you go," he said, handing Vell a sealed scroll. "Present this to the temple keeper. And good luck up there - you’ll need it."

"Thank you."

As they left the guild house, Ruby nudged Vell. "He seemed impressed by our cards. Were they really that good?"

"Yes. Most new adventurers take much longer to clear as many dungeons as we did."

"That’s because we have a great master," Jolly grinned, slapping him on the back.

’Well look at them getting all comfortable around me...i like that.’

The temple at the north end of town was smaller than they expected. Old stone walls covered in moss stood quietly against the afternoon sun. Two statues of warriors guarded the entrance, their faces worn smooth by time and weather.

"This is it?" Wren asked, looking unimpressed. "I thought it would be... bigger."

"pfft, shits a dumb." He said causing all the girls to burst out laughing.

They approached the entrance where an elderly woman in simple robes sat on a wooden stool. Her white hair was tied back in a tight bun, and she watched them with sharp eyes that missed nothing.

"Adventurers seeking the second floor, I assume?" she asked, her voice stronger than her frail appearance suggested.

"Yes," Vell replied, handing her the sealed scroll from the guild. "We have approval."

The woman broke the seal and carefully read the document. She nodded slowly. "Everything seems in order. The fee has been paid." She stood up with surprising ease. "Follow me."

She led them through the temple’s main hall. Sunlight filtered through colored glass windows. The air smelled of old incense and candle wax.

"The portal is only active twice a day," she explained as they walked. "Dawn and dusk. You’ve arrived just in time for the evening opening."

At the back of the temple, they entered a circular room. In the center was a raised platform with strange symbols carved around its edge. The platform glowed with a soft blue light.

"Stand on the platform when you’re ready," the temple keeper instructed. "The portal will activate in a few minutes. Once it opens, you’ll have only moments to step through."

"Any advice for the second floor?" Ruby asked the woman.

The old woman’s face softened slightly. "Trust each other. The monsters are stronger, yes, but it’s the environment itself that catches most adventurers off guard. The mana is thicker there – it affects the land in strange ways."

Vell nodded. "Thank you."

The woman retreated to the edge of the room as they gathered their belongings and prepared to step onto the platform.

"Everyone ready?" He asked, looking at each of his companions in turn.

Regina adjusted her pack. "Ready, Master."

"Been ready all day," Jolly said with a grin.

One by one, they stepped onto the platform. The blue light grew brighter, pulsing around their feet.

"Stay close," he warned.

The light suddenly intensified, shooting upward in a column around them. The air crackled with energy, and the hairs on their arms stood on end.

"Here we go!" Wren shouted over the growing noise.

The floor beneath them seemed to disappear, replaced by swirling blue light. They were floating, weightless for a moment, before a strong pull yanked them upward.

A flash of blinding light, then darkness.

When they could see again, they were standing on a similar platform, but everything else was different. They were in a forest clearing, but the trees were unlike any they’d seen before – taller, with strange purple-tinged leaves. The air felt heavier, rich with mana that was almost visible as it drifted through the air like morning mist.

"We made it," Ada whispered, looking around in wonder.

Vell stepped off the platform first, his senses alert. "Stay sharp. We don’t know what’s waiting for us here."

[Welcome to the 2nd floor.] The tower’s voice said.

Vell tensed, not sure what to do if the voice tries to talk to him again, especially after all that he knows now.