Nova studied the door while Millie peered into the fountain, her reflection warping in the rippling surface.

"How much essence do you have left, Millie?" he asked, noting the slight droop in her shoulders that indicated fatigue.

Millie straightened up from the fountain, wiping water droplets from her fingers onto her dress.

"Uhm, about three thousand." She scrunched her face as she checked her internal reserves on the stat screen. "Less than a quarter."

Nova nodded, glancing at the imposing door before them.

"Then let's rest here for a while, and get something to eat." He gestured toward the small alcove formed by the fountain area. "Try and activate the Meridian Cleanse to get it back faster."

"Okay!" Millie plopped down on the smooth stone floor, crossing her legs and immediately closing her eyes in concentration.

Anny and Nova both put their backpacks on the ground, making soft thuds against the ancient stone. Anny pulled out several bottles of water while Nova retrieved packets of preserved food. He also took out a large metal pan, which he started putting meat into. The rich aroma of dried spices filled the small space as he arranged the food.

Millie opened one eye, her curiosity momentarily overriding her concentration.

"Have you figured out how to heat stuff with magic, Millie?" Nova asked, noticing her interest.

Millie nodded eagerly, holding up her hands. "Of course! I just use the heat rune after the input. It warms my hands very nicely, but I have to be careful!"

Nova frowned slightly, silently admonishing himself for another lapse in his teachings. "...You should be careful with using unknown formations in your arm. It's better to put them on the ground, so you don't risk anything important while testing."

Millie's excitement dimmed slightly, looking down at her palms. "But then the control is worse."

Nova placed the metal pan on a flat stone near the fountain. He traced a quick heating formation beneath it with his finger. The runes glowed orange-red as they activated, and the bottom of the pan began to warm immediately. He arranged strips of preserved meat in a neat pattern while considering his response.

"Well, that's where you start using automated systems instead of controlling the essence manually." He drizzled oil over the meat, which sizzled as it hit the hot surface. The savory aroma intensified, making Millie's nose twitch. "With splitter runes, you can decide how much of the input essence should go to each part, meaning you only have to send essence to the receiver."

Millie's brow furrowed as she watched Nova methodically turn the meat with a small wooden utensil he'd pulled from his pack. The strips were browning nicely, their edges crisping in the heat. She tilted her head, trying to follow his explanation despite the distracting smell of cooking food. "...You're talking too fast."

"Ahaha, sorry!" He flipped another piece of meat, seeing Millie's eyes follow it intently. "If there are any words you don't understand, just ask. I'll explain it as well as I can."

Millie scooted closer to the cooking pan, looking at him with furrowed brows. "What is the automate?"

Nova added a pinch of salt, the crystals dissolving instantly on the hot surface. The meat was nearly done now, with a nice, golden-brown surface.

"It means something that happens on its own, without needing us to do anything." He tested a smaller piece of meat with his utensil, checking its doneness. "That's how I made the magic missiles fire so fast earlier."

"Aah! You cheated!" Millie pointed an accusing finger at him.

"Not at all, I just made it easier."

"That sounds like cheating to me," Anny interjected with a smirk. She leaned forward, inhaling deeply as another wave of savory scent wafted upward.

"Yeah! It's cheating!" Millie crossed her arms, looking triumphant at having gained an ally.

Nova lifted the pan from its heating formation. Steam rose in aromatic spirals from the sizzling contents.

"No meat for you two, then," he said, bringing the plate of simmering meat away from the two girls. The gesture was playful, but he maintained a serious expression.

"Bah." Anny rolled her eyes, reaching for her own pack. "Millie and I can make our own. Right, Millie?"

"Right!" Millie held up her hands, already gathering essence at her fingertips. "I'll heat it with my hand-warming spell."

"Again, bad idea," Nova noted, still not giving up his food. "And you should understand from the name the system gave that it's only useful for cold hands."

Millie's stomach growled loudly, echoing in the small alcove. She cast a longing look at the perfectly cooked meat. "Fine, let's call it a draw," she said, sighing in defeat.

Nova smiled as he brought the pan back, dividing the meat equally onto three small metal plates he extracted from his pack. The juices from the meat pooled appetizingly on each plate.

"I didn't even know it was a competition." He handed plates to Anny and Millie, both taking them with a nod of gratitude. "I think you're a few centuries too young to beat me in magic, though."

Millie paused with a piece of meat halfway to her mouth. "Centuries? How many days is that?"

"Many."

Millie groaned dramatically, throwing her head back in exasperation. The sound echoed off the dungeon walls.

Nova and Anny both laughed at her reaction. He took a bite of his own portion, savoring the flavor with obvious satisfaction.

They ate in comfortable silence for a few moments, savoring the hot food after hours of dungeon exploring. The only sounds were appreciative murmurs and the occasional slurp of water from their bottles.

After swallowing her third bite, Millie pointed at Nova and yelled, "Nova! You should make food more! You're almost as good as Quinn!"

"Oh, thank you," Nova replied, trying not to be insulted. He had likely cooked more meals than Quinn had drawn breaths. "The science of cooking is an interesting subject. Particularly because there is no right answer, there is only better or worse."

"I guess you're worse, then," Anny replied with a smirk, seeing through his wounded pride with ease.

"I think there is only good and bad, and this is defi-tinely good!" Millie replied as she eagerly picked up another bite.

Instead of responding, Nova smirked back at Anny. But her smile just turned wider, picking up another piece of meat.

"I didn't expect the first floor to be this short, though," Anny said between bites, taking a sip of her water to wash down the food. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, leaving a smudge of grease that gleamed in the dungeon light.

"I assume they get longer the further down we go." He took another bite, chewing thoughtfully. "But also, this would have easily taken several days if we had to fight seriously, and replenish our essence after each fight."

"That's true…" Anny licked her fingers clean. "I guess we should bring more food next time, just in case."

"Didn't you fill your ring with food and water?" He raised an eyebrow, glancing at the solium ring on her finger.

Millie, who had been listening to their exchange with interest, licked the last trace of meat juice from her plate, clearly unwilling to waste even a drop of Nova's cooking.

Seeing she was finished, Nova collected their plates, stacking them neatly beside his pack.

Anny wiggled her fingers, looking at the two rings. "Well, yeah, but it's only enough to last us for ten days at most. And I'm saving it for when the fresh stuff we brought runs out."

"I think we should leave after each level we complete." Nova wiped his hands on a small cloth, removing traces of the meal. "It will reduce risk, and let us look through whatever we gained from the dungeon so far. And I want to forge new equipment as we get better materials."

Anny stretched her arms above her head, working out stiffness from hours of exploration. "I get your point, but won't we just breeze through this place until we get to floor seven? I feel like leaving will be a waste of before then."

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"...We'll make a judgment after each floor." He capped his water bottle with a decisive twist. "If we have plenty of supplies, we should be fine to continue."

Millie remained silent as they discussed the lower floors. Her fingers traced patterns in the dust on the stone floor beside her, seemingly lost in thought.

"But that's all for after we defeat this floor." Nova turned his attention to Millie, noting her unusual quietness. "It won't take me long to bring Millie home. Right, Millie?"

She looked up suddenly, abandoning her dust drawings. Determination set her small jaw at a stubborn angle. "...I wanna do another floor."

"I'm sure you do. But I believe we had an agreement."

Millie sat forward, leaning her hands against the stone floor. "I promise I'll go faster! I just had to learn the basics first!"

Nova sighed, exchanging glances with Anny. She shrugged, letting the decision be up to him.

"...If you defeat the Floor Guardian alone, without me having to interfere, I'll allow it." The words came reluctantly, but the challenge would serve its purpose either way.

"Yay!!" Millie jumped to her feet, disturbing the dust that had settled around them. Her excitement echoed off the ancient stone walls.

Nova held up a cautioning hand. "But that means you can't let the amulet trigger either. If you do, it's your loss."

"I'll beat it easily!" Her confidence radiated from every pore, feet planted firmly on the ground as if already preparing for battle.

'...That's the wrong attitude to have. But it's another learning opportunity, and I don't really want her to stay any longer than she has to. So I guess it's fine.'

"Let's fill the water bottles in that fountain before we go," Nova suggested, nodding toward the bubbling water source beside the door. He stood and dusted off his clothes.

Anny frowned, her eyebrows drawing together. "What's the point? We're as good as done for the day."

"It never hurts to be prepared. And we're still new to this place. That might not even be where the Floor Guardian is."

Anny relented with a small shake of her head, bringing her own bottles to the fountain.

Soon after, they were ready to enter. Backpacks were packed and secured on backs, supplies neatly arranged inside. Nova double-checked his equipment with practiced efficiency while Anny adjusted her straps. Millie stood ready with her arms faintly glowing, having prepared her spells.

She gingerly walked to the door and touched it, not quite sure how to open it. But the door started swinging open on its own, letting out a cold smoke that drifted past their feet. The mist swirled around their ankles, ethereal and strangely beautiful in the blue dungeon light.

The space behind the door was a large circular room, well lit and open. The ceiling arched high above, supported by elegant columns that seemed far too artistic for a monster's lair. Strange symbols covered the walls, glowing faintly with their own inner light.

And on the other side stood a white, bear-like creature, looking much like the anteaters they'd fought, except many times larger. It stood at two meters in height, and that was while standing on all fours. Its massive paws ended in claws the length of daggers, and its eyes reflected the chamber's light like polished coins.

It stood in silence as Millie walked closer. Her footsteps echoed in the large chamber, marking her approach with soft, steady sounds. She was trying to reduce the distance to one where she could use her fast missiles effectively. Her hands hung at her sides, ready to cast at a moment's notice.

'That's not the worst idea, but I would have just increased the power instead. That beast looks like it could handle a few of those missiles.'

(It's at Soul Power fifty,) Anny noted through their ring connection. (Meaning the bosses will be slightly stronger than the supposed strength of each floor.)

(Yeah, I expected that much. I wonder if their bodies will be notably stronger as well, like this one. And what kind of skills they have.)

(It might be a good idea to study the normal monsters on each floor to get an idea of what the boss will be.)

(Right.)

Millie was close enough now. The beast remained still, watching her with unnerving intelligence in its eyes. It made no move to attack, seemingly waiting for her to make the first move. Its breath came in slow, measured puffs that disturbed the misty air around its massive muzzle.

The first missile shot forward from her right hand, a streak of concentrated energy that lit up the chamber. It was quickly followed by a second and third, all shooting toward the large beast in rapid succession. The projectiles cut through the misty air, trailing blue light in their wake.

But the creature was ready. With surprising agility for its size, it ducked to the side and avoided the first missile. Then it launched toward Millie with quick, ground-eating steps. Its claws scraped against stone, sending up tiny sparks as it charged.

Sweat beaded on Millie's forehead as she maintained her focus. Her missiles kept firing while she adjusted her aim, tracking the creature's movement with growing panic.

One missile grazed the beast's hide, leaving a scorched streak across its white fur. Another pierced into its side with a wet thud, carving a small red hole in the white fur. But the creature wasn't even fazed by these wounds, still running at full speed toward her. The distance was already halved.

Millie stopped her rapid-fire approach, suddenly shifting tactics. She poured all her focus into one arm, abandoning quantity for quality. A new set of runes appeared along her skin—the more powerful formation she had demonstrated in the first fight. The patterns glowed intensely, but the spell was much slower to manifest.

The beast was fifteen meters away, ten meters, five meters—muscles tensed visibly beneath its fur as it prepared to pounce.

Millie fired her missile. The concentrated energy burst from her palm with devastating potential. But the beast had anticipated this last defense. It leapt over the missile, letting it pass harmlessly beneath its belly as it went in for the kill. Its jaws opened wide, revealing rows of yellowed teeth designed for crushing bone.

'I expected as much. Well it's—'

"Just punch it!" Anny yelled from his side.

Millie, who had started cowering under the attack, suddenly responded to the command. With instinctive reaction, she turned and lashed out with her fist. Her small knuckles clocked the beast square in the jaw with a loud crack that echoed through the chamber. The impact sent a shockwave up her arm, but she held firm.

The beast's eyes rolled back instantly. Its momentum carried its massive body forward, suddenly limp and uncoordinated. It crashed to the floor, sliding across the stone with a heavy scraping sound.

Millie barely managed to get out of the way of the long claws, throwing herself sideways and falling to the ground as the beast's massive body grazed her. She rolled twice before coming to rest on her back, breathing heavily. Despite the grave danger she had been in, the amulet at her throat hadn't activated.

Everything fell silent as they all watched the beast. Its chest rose and fell in shallow breaths, but otherwise it didn't move. A thin trickle of blood seeped from its mouth where Millie's punch had connected. It wasn't dead, but it was thoroughly unconscious.

"Did… did I win?" Millie asked with wide eyes, propping herself up on her elbows. Her blonde hair was disheveled, hanging in her face as she looked over at Nova with disbelief written across her features.

Nova frowned at Anny, knowing full well she gave Millie that tip because she didn't want her to lose. That was fair enough, but the lesson he wanted Millie to learn was gone.

"...Yes, you won. You are considerably stronger than that beast, so you could have done that from the start if you wanted."

A grin split Millie's face as the realization sank in. She scrambled to her feet, pumping her small fist in the air.

"Yaaaayyyy!" Her victory cry bounced off the chamber walls, returning as a chorus of triumph.

"Anny should probably teach you some fighting skills when we return." Nova looked at the unconscious beast, assessing the effectiveness of Millie's improvised attack. "It was a nice punch, but you can improve a lot with some training."

Millie turned to Anny with excitement in her eyes. Her earlier fear had completely vanished, replaced by the thrill of victory. "Will you, Anny?"

Anny smiled as she folded her arms. "I'll make you a threat to any beast or man who tries to win you over."

Millie tilted her head in confusion. "Man?"

"It will be useful when you're older, don't worry." Anny gave her a wink.

Nova didn't feel like disagreeing with this plan. In fact, he was in perfect agreement. Teaching Millie to defend herself properly would only benefit her—especially given her tendency to find trouble whether it was offered or not.

And preventing eager boys wasn't a bad idea either.

Nova stepped forward, looking at the unconscious beast as it lay sprawled across the chamber floor. Its massive chest rose and fell with labored breaths. "I think we need to kill this beast before we can leave. Do you want to do it, Millie?"

Millie stared at the fallen creature, not looking overly eager to deal the final blow. "...But it's just sleeping."

"Yes, it is."

"...Can you do it?"

"Sure." Nova nodded once, respecting her decision. Whatever lessons he was trying to teach, they could wait. Despite her power, she wasn't even five years old.

A single flick of his wrist was enough. The spell formed instantly, a narrow beam of concentrated energy that crossed the distance in a heartbeat. It pierced the beast's heart with surgical precision, leaving only a small, dark mark on the white fur. The creature's body tensed briefly, then relaxed as it quickly breathed its last.

Silence descended for a moment—a brief, respectful pause for the fallen guardian.

Then a bell sounded inside the room, its clear tone reverberating off the stone walls. The massive doors behind them swung closed with a heavy sound. A faint blue light began to gather in the center of the chamber, coalescing into a massive floating panel.

[Congratualtions! You've completed Floor 1!]

[Reward will be evenly split between all—]

The message suddenly stopped there, freezing in place like an image captured in time. The letters flickered once, twice, then stabilized in their incomplete state.

"What the hell? System? Are you okay?" Nova stepped toward the floating message, confused. Nothing like this had ever happened in his experience with the system.

The message disappeared without warning, dissolving into fragments of light that scattered across the chamber before vanishing. Then another message appeared in its place, this time glowing with an ominous red light that bathed the room in a bloody hue.

[Error: Party member has entered dungeon before.]

Before they could process these words, a sphere of brilliant white light materialized around Millie. The barrier appeared so suddenly that she had no time to react, trapping her inside its perfect circumference.

Understanding dawned on her face a moment later. She quickly ran to the edge of the sphere, pressing her small hands against its surface. Her palms flattened against an invisible barrier, unable to break through. Her mouth opened in a cry they couldn't hear—she was completely sealed off.

Nova ran to the sphere, feeling panic rising in his chest. His mind raced with confusion as he placed his hands opposite hers, separated by the impenetrable wall of light.

'What the fuck do you mean 'has entered before'?! Millie has been by my side since she was a baby! I would know if she had been here before!'

His thoughts came fast and frantic as he tried to make sense of the system's claim. His heart pounded in his ears, drowning out the chamber's silence.

New messages appeared.

[Party member will not receive rewards for this floor.]

[Party member will be relocated to the correct floor.]

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