The transition to the Sixth Floor felt different this time—less like being dragged upward and more like drifting through a veil of warm mist. When the light faded, Ethan found himself standing in an open valley beneath a twilight sky.
The Sixth Floor was simple at first glance: a quiet, grassy landscape lit by a pale lavender sun that never fully set. Soft fireflies floated lazily through the air, and distant hills rolled peacefully under the purple sky.
Selene stretched. "Finally! A floor that doesn't scream misery and trauma."
Aeloria, ever cautious, replied, "Don't assume peace means safety."
Lyra clasped her hands behind her back and inhaled deeply. "It feels… gentle. Like the floor wants us to rest."
Seraphine stepped forward, her movements slow, still recovering. Her armor was battered beyond repair, and her silver hair caught the twilight light like spun moonlight.
"This place is deceptive," she murmured. "I sensed nothing hostile on this floor when I was brought past it… but that doesn't mean there's no danger."
Ethan turned to her. "How are you feeling?"
She hesitated. Her eyes softened, grateful and conflicted.
"Free," she whispered. "Unsure. But free."
Selene leaned toward Lyra, whispering loudly, "Translation: she totally has a crush on him."
Seraphine's ears turned bright red. "I-I heard that!"
Selene smirked. "Good. I wasn't being subtle."
Aeloria sighed. "Must you provoke everyone you meet?"
"Someone has to keep things interesting," Selene replied.
Ethan rubbed the back of his neck, helplessly amused. "Let's… focus on the trial."
As they walked through the glowing valley, the System chimed.
[Floor 6 Trial: Weigh the Heart][Condition: Overcome inner imbalance. The valley reacts to emotional weight.]
Lyra frowned. "Emotional weight? That sounds vague."
Aeloria scanned the air. "I feel mana reacting to our presence… subtly shifting."
Selene kicked a pebble. The stone floated upward instead of falling, turning into dust. "Okay, this place is weird."
Seraphine walked slightly apart from the group, her gaze distant. Ethan noticed her fingers trembling—not from fear, but from restraint.
He approached her. "Seraphine… you don't have to isolate yourself."
She stopped walking, staring at the lavender horizon.
"You don't understand," she whispered. "That floor… those chains… they didn't just bind my body. They dug into my mind, my failures, my shame. I wasn't strong enough to clear my trial."
Her voice cracked.
"I wasn't strong enough to protect the people who depended on me."
Ethan shook his head gently. "Strength isn't about never failing. You kept fighting even when the tower tried to break you. That matters more than you think."
Her breath hitched. "How do you face everything so fearlessly?"
"I'm terrified most of the time," Ethan admitted with a small laugh. "But I keep moving because the people beside me—" he nodded at Lyra, Selene, Aeloria "—they believe in me. And now… you're one of them."
Seraphine looked at him, eyes wide, shimmering. "…Ethan…"
Before she could say more, the valley shifted.
The ground trembled softly, and large shapes formed from the glowing mist—shadowy versions of the group, vague silhouettes that radiated heavy emotion.
Lyra gasped. "These… these are emotional echoes!"
Aeloria unsheathed her daggers. "Not physical threats. Psychological."
Selene growled. "Then let's hit them emotionally."
But Ethan stepped forward. "No. I think we weaken them by stabilizing ourselves, not attacking."
The shadows grew stronger whenever someone's emotions spiked. When Seraphine took a breath, her silhouette flickered violently.
Ethan placed a hand on her shoulder. "Hey. You're not alone. Focus on the present. On us."
Seraphine clenched her fist—but her breathing slowed. The shadow in front of her dimmed.
Selene faced hers next. Her silhouette hissed with insecurity and abandonment. She blew a raspberry at it. "Nice try. I'm fabulous."
The shadow sputtered and vanished.
Lyra pressed her palms together, whispering a prayer. Her shadow dissolved into warmth.
Aeloria, stoic as ever, simply glared at her echo until it faded away like steam.
Ethan turned toward his own.
It was taller.Darker.Its presence heavier than the others.
The shadow spoke in his voice:"You don't belong. You're an accident in this world."
Seraphine stepped toward him. "Ethan—"
He lifted a hand to stop her.
Then he smiled.
"Maybe I don't belong. But I'm here anyway. And I'm not leaving."
The shadow cracked like fractured glass and shattered.
The valley brightened. The fireflies glowed brighter.
[Floor 6 Cleared][Reward: Twilight Emblem — increases emotional resilience and team synergy]
Selene cheered. "Finally! A trial that didn't try to kill us!"
Lyra giggled. "It was… strangely pleasant."
Aeloria folded her arms. "Sentimental. But effective."
Seraphine stared at Ethan with a look both soft and fierce. "You… saved me again."
Ethan smiled. "We save each other."
Her cheeks flushed. "Then… I'll continue walking with you. No matter what lies ahead."
The valley dissolved into shimmering light.
They were being pulled toward the Seventh Floor, where the Tower's trials would darken again—along with the secrets watching Ethan more closely with every step.