The third floor held together far better than the second, at least for now.
Most of the Awakeneds were still moving with the same groups they had formed before entering the tower, and that alone kept the whole ascent from turning into a disaster on the spot. The Ember Cores stayed more guarded, tucked nearer to shields, sturdier bodies, and the people whose classes could actually answer when something ugly came close.
The stronger ones occupied the outer pressure, cutting down Ragged Duelists as they came off the balconies or stepped in from the side paths broken into the tower's inner structure. For the moment, the Soul Beasts on this level were not crashing into them in one wild tide. The danger here breathed differently. Spread wider. Sharper in its intent. Better suited to wearing people down while they advanced.
Neo had not used Beast Strength yet.
