The atmosphere in the clearing was thick with the copper tang of blood. James Miller stared at the mangled corpses of the other regional team, his jaw set. In the new world order, the protocol was clear: if a raid encountered an anomaly beyond its rank, it was to retreat and report to the Ranker Management Bureau (RMB).
The RMB had stabilized almost overnight. Though headquartered in the USA, their influence spanned the globe, acting as a neutral arbiter that managed Ranker licenses, gear distribution, and Tower data. Even a hothead like James knew that ignoring RMB safety guidelines could get his license revoked, or worse.
However, after a tense huddle with his C-Rank lieutenants and a brief glance at us Unaffiliated strays, James made his call.
"We move forward," he announced, his Aura humming with a restless, orange glow. "The Gate is still open. If things get hairy, we have four days to bail. We need to know what did this before we tuck tail."
It was a rational decision based on the facts we had. But the Tower doesn't care about human logic.
"You lot," James pointed at the Unaffiliated and the White Tiger E-Ranks. "Head back. Get to the RMB branch and tell them we've got a regional overlap and a high-threat entity. We'll scout ahead."
I turned to leave with the others, but as we reached the shimmering ripples of the Exit Portal, a cold chill ran down my spine. A wall of translucent, obsidian-like energy slammed down, rippling across the space where the exit should have been.
"The portal... it's sealed!" someone screamed.
The confidence in the group evaporated instantly. A barrier spell. In the Tower of Trials, a sealed exit only meant one thing: the floor had become a closed ecosystem. The only way out was forward, through the Boss.
"[Activating 'Navigation' Lvl 2!]"
I had burned some of my coins to upgrade my utility skills before entering. The blue line of the skill didn't point toward the Boss chamber I remembered from the VR days. It pointed down. Deep into the roots of the world.
We moved through the forest in a silence so thick it was suffocating. In my 104 accounts, the 1st Floor was always a chaotic farm-fest of infinite C-Rank mobs. But now? The forest was a tomb. No wolves, no goblins. The trees themselves seemed to be holding their breath, waiting for the predator to strike.
This wasn't the Nexus I knew.
We passed through an abandoned, village-like settlement. Traces of a struggle were everywhere, shattered doors, scorched earth, but not a single drop of blood or a stray corpse. It was as if the inhabitants hadn't been killed, but harvested. Following the trail, we descended into a jagged cave mouth that opened into a subterranean nightmare.
The architecture changed from natural stone to obsidian pillars carved with weeping faces. Before the System could even process our location, my specialized Skill notification flared in a violent gold light.
"[Notice: The Exclusive item, the Holy Sword 'Excalibur' is located!]"
My heart hammered against my ribs. 'Excalibur' wasn't a Floor 1 item. It was a legend tucked away in the deepest Vault of the Vampire Lord.
"[Congratulations! You have discovered the Hidden Region!]"
"[Welcome to 'The Hall of Deprived'!]"
"[The Clear Condition has been updated: Defeat the Boss Monster 'Dracula'.]"
"[Additional Rewards: +5,000 Coins, +3 Skill Points, A-Rank Item/Skill.]"
"Dracula," I whispered. This was a suicide mission. Even if the world's current S-Rankers were here, they would struggle against the Lord of Vampires while capped at such low levels.
At the far end of the cathedral-like hall, a throne made of fused weapons and glowing mana crystals rose from the floor. Seated upon it was a shadow, a silhouette of absolute predatory grace. Two eyes, like burning rubies, ignited in the darkness, pinning us where we stood.
"[Notice: The Ruler of the Hall of Deprived, 'Dracula', welcomes the brave challengers.]"