Chapter 250 Revelations about the Tower and the Dungeon
The giants, resembling massive barbarians with minimal clothing, caught Damian's attention. They seemed primitive yet imposing, wearing only a cloth to cover their lower bodies. Damian hesitated in mid-air, observing the giants from a safe distance. The sight of them left him awestruck. Giants! He had almost believed them to be extinct.
Doubt crept into his mind. After all the bewildering experiences of being transported to a random floor, entering a dream-like state due to the mushroom, and now encountering giants, he questioned the authenticity of it all. Was it real, or was it another layer of deception within the tower?
"Are you certain this is truly the 38th floor?" Damian inquired, seeking confirmation from the mushroom.
The mushroom appeared uncertain as well. "I believe so. It's the information passed down from previous adventurers who have reached this floor. But now I'm starting to question its accuracy."
"Perhaps," Damian replied, his curiosity driving him closer to the giants.
"Wait, are we really going to approach them?" the trembling mushroom exclaimed, overwhelmed with fear.
Escape wasn't an option for the mushroom, and it resigned itself to its fate, hoping that the giants wouldn't attack, even though the chances seemed slim.
As Damian drew nearer, the giants took notice of his presence. Wielding colossal logs as weapons, their unfriendly expressions left no room for doubt. They bellowed in a language unfamiliar to the mushroom but resonating deeply within Damian's mind since he inherited his bloodline.
"Please, do not attack me," Damian implored. "I mean no harm. I am unaware of how I arrived here."
The giants, on the verge of launching their assault, froze in their tracks, mouths agape. One of the giants, an elder with a thick beard, addressed Damian with disbelief evident in his voice.
"How do you possess knowledge of our language?" he questioned.
Damian understood that lying to them would be unwise. With nine intimidating giants present, he doubted his ability to evade them using only his flight ability.
"I am a giant myself, although my bloodline lies mostly dormant. But where are we, exactly?"
The giant expressed incredulity. "Impossible! The only giants who remain alive are here on this island. How could you be a giant from elsewhere?"
"Island? So where are we?"
"We are on an island. How did you arrive here?"
"I am uncertain, but possibly through a portal. I was exploring the Skyfall Tower."
"The Skyfall Tower? Did someone truly construct it?" The giant's words puzzled Damian, prompting the giant to offer further explanation.
"Our ancestors spoke of the Skyfall Tower. A man came here once, claiming to have built a portal within his tower. He requested permission to establish a connection to this place. We agreed, thinking it to be absurd. Surprisingly, he aided our ancestors, enabling our race to survive."
Damian's mind reeled at this revelation. He had believed the tower to be a separate world from the dungeon, crafted by an enigmatic creator. However, it seemed that each floor within the tower corresponded to a distinct location within the dungeon itself. It appeared as though the creator of the dungeon had curated specific floors within the tower as training grounds for adventurers. How had the creator forged portals and facilitated the repetition of levels? What mechanisms had made everything appear like a game?
"So, we are actually inside the dungeon?" Damian sought confirmation.
The giant was taken aback. "Well, the man did mention something about a dungeon. But for us, this is our world. I struggle to comprehend how this can be a dungeon. It does not resemble one, does it?"
That realization hit Damian like a ton of bricks. Humans had given the alternate world the name "dungeon," and even the creatures on the lower levels referred to it as such due to their interactions with humans. It made sense, as the early levels of the dungeon were more accessible to humankind and other weaker races. But the level Damian found himself on was far beyond the 38th floor of the dungeon or the Skyfall Tower.
The power emanating from the giants dwarfed his own, leaving Damian uncertain of the exact level within the dungeon he had reached. For the creatures dwelling in the deeper levels, this was their world. They did not perceive it as a dungeon, and many were oblivious to the existence of portals leading to other floors.
"Do you possess knowledge of portals that can transport us out of this realm? To another world?" Damian inquired, hoping the giant before him held the answers.
To his surprise, the giant nodded. "Indeed, there is a portal that allows one to depart from this world and reach a place inhabited by weaker creatures. However, there is no portal that can elevate us to a higher realm."
The revelation hit Damian like a blow to the chest. This floor marked the pinnacle of available floors within the dungeon. Not the giant island specifically, but all the continents and lands on this level. There was no path forward. This was the highest point attainable.
"Do humans dwell here?" Damian asked, a flicker of hope still lingering.
"Indeed, they do. But even a newborn human possesses more power than you do, I can sense the trace of giant bloodline within you. I will offer my assistance, but you must depart from here before it's too late."
The giant's concern for Damian's well-being was evident, but it only deepened the confusion. Why had the jungle been easier to navigate? Weren't the creatures there supposed to pose an immediate threat?
"You must be wondering how you managed to survive, am I correct? Did you come from the jungle?" the giant asked.
"Yes, why?" Damian asked, his curiosity piqued by the giant's statement.
The giant stroked his beard thoughtfully before continuing, "The man who spoke of the Skyfall Tower mentioned that he would construct a portal within it, specifically leading to the jungle. He took great care to ensure the safety of that area, which is why you encountered no powerful beasts there. However, there is something I must inquire about," the giant added.
Damian's mind was already spinning with the wealth of information he had received, but he braced himself for whatever else the giant had to say. "Yes?"
The giant furrowed his brow and scratched his beard, deep in thought. "One of our ancestors left behind a written account, detailing their encounter with the man who proposed the creation of this tower. According to our ancestor, the final floor of the tower would bring them to this very place. I must apologize, but based on your current strength, I find it difficult to envision you successfully navigating and completing the tower's trials."
That hit Damian like lightning! He somehow entered the last floor of the Skyfall Tower, which would lead to the last floor of the dungeon! It was obvious! Whoever created the tower wanted to train everyone, and those capable of completing it would have the power to survive in the dungeon's last floor.
But Damian was not that person! His power was way lower than that, and as he was thinking about how to leave that place, he felt a sharp pain on his chest, right where the golden key tattoo was!
Then, a face formed on the clouds above the island. The face looked around as if it was looking for someone.
"No way," the giant said, "That's the underworld lord! Come, follow me before it's too late!" the giant said, grabbing Damian and running away.
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