[War... You say?]

Skadi slowly walked over to Sebastian.

"And what exactly has warranted this war? Surely there must be a reasonable justification if even the Dark Fae High Court has given permission?"

Towering over Sebastian, Skadi tilted his chin down, his diamond eyes sparkling as they encountered the sun’s light.

"Of course there is, Lord Skadi."

Sebastian looked at the one trembling behind Skadi, Charymos.

"It would seem Lord Charymos has deceived Lady Rowena."

Sebastian adjusted his white gloves and shook his head.

"Go on..."

Skadi demanded.

"Why the Homunculi of course. Those creatures exist because Lady Rowena has funded Lord Charymos extensively. It was their agreement that all outstanding Homunculi are to be offered to Lady Rowena and her alone."

"But it has come to our attention that Lord Charymos has deceived my Lady and is now attempting to sell them to you, no?"

Skadi looked over his bouldering shoulders, Charymos’s trembling form reflected within the internal facets of his eyes.

"I see... Then tell me, just how did Rowena learn of this transaction?"

Skadi returned his gaze back to Sebastian.

"Does that matter? My Lady’s wrath shall descend upon you all the same."

Sebastian suppressed a smirk.

[I see... So it was Veladreth.]

"I knew not of the agreement Charymos had with Rowena, so this war will be senseless. Where is she now, it would be better if we —"

Before he could finish speaking, the space directly in front of him distorted and he beheld a bright orange paw armed with deadly claws.

CLAAAANG!!!

Skadi quickly crossed his bouldering forearms in front of his face and blocked the attack, the resulting impact scattering deafening echoes all throughout.

"Oh? You managed to block that? I’m impressed, Skadi. I had thought the peacefulness of the Sixth Floor had softened you and dulled your senses."

Rowena growled those words and straightened her posture, a tempest of wind blowing a second later, one that had been trailing behind her. This was a testament to her speed.

"Rowena. You are as impulsive as ever, you would wage war over this simple matter? Lives will be lost! Let us talk about this!"

Skadi clenched his jaw and lowered his arms.

"A simple matter? Then, are you saying you will stand down and no longer show any interest in the Homunculi?"

She placed her hand on her waist, her entire body donned by a pitch-black armour forged from the scales of an ancient Dragon.

"..."

"... My apologies, I simply cannot do that."

"There is only one amongst them that I desire, allow me to have him, and the rest are yours."

Skadi’s voice was stern and unyielding.

"My point exactly, Skadi. You think I would allow that? The fact that you are even showing interest in one of them, is all the more reason why this war is necessary."

"Just what did you see with those of yours, Skadi?!"

Rowena roared and she grew a fourth tail, her entire being radiating an intense heat, such that even the ground directly beneath her feet was reduced to a puddle of molten lava.

"Beira, Efreet."

Fwip!

"Yes, my Lord?"

The two Elementals instantly appeared and stood on either side of their Lord.

"We are at war. Sound the alarms, evacuate the innocent and call to arms all who can fight. I will kill Rowena today! "

Half of Skadi’s being was covered in extremely cold ice that could freeze even an inferno, and his other half was coated in an intense flame that could melt even a glacier in a matter of seconds, and yet, they coexisted.

"Grrr... How bold of you, Skadi. Your head will hang in my chambers as a trophy!"

Rowena retrieved a helmet and a blazing sword.

And....

BOOOOOOOM!!!!

... She charged at Skadi and struck true, sending him flying toward the distant mountains in the horizon and she followed after him a second later.

The earth trembled and the air quivered as they continued their battle, mountain after mountain being flattened in the distance.

"Just where are you looking, Beira? Don’t worry, Lady Rowena will give Lord Skadi an honorable death."

The Ice Elemental turned and felt sharp claws slightly dig into her neck.

"Bethsheba. You are as elusive as always, were you hiding your presence?"

The two Named Monsters began their battle as well, the earth trembling at their every movement.

"Looks like it’s just you and me, old ma —"

"... Hm? Are you worried about them?"

Efreet noticed that Sebastian patiently waited for the Dryads to escape.

"Indeed I am... After all, this Floor shall soon become a vassal state of my Queen therefore those are to be her people, I cannot allow any harm to befall them."

Sebastian slowly took off his gloves and blazer, neatly folding them and placing them in his pocket dimension.

Efreet grimaced at those words.

"Now then, let us get started shall we?"

Crack! Crack!

Sebastian’s muscle and bone contorted and he transformed into a giant ape with white fur and blazing blue eyes.

/

"Oh no..."

Charymos, with his palms planted on the ground continued trembling and excreting slime profusely.

"This can’t be happening... I..."

He raised his gaze to witness the chaos ensuing before him.

"I can’t fucking believe this~"

Seeing that no one was looking at him, Charymos’s facade collapsed and the most vile expression twisted his face.

"Ahn~ this is just so perfect. Yes, that’s right, kill each other for my Specimens~"

Nothing brought him greater joy than witnessing those more powerful than himself, destroying one another for something that he possessed.

He then reached into his pocket dimension and retrieved a transportation device.

Upon utilizing the device, a purple "gate" which was circular and murky, appeared before him.

"Well then, toodles~"

He walked into the gate that would transport him to the Basement Floor in 24 hours.

[Veladreth, that bastard... He has probably already sent someone to retrieve Veylith and Kaelen whilst Skadi and Rowena are preoccupied with one another.]

"Kuku... You think I’ll let you have the last laugh? Everything’s going according to my plans, you’re merely a pawn~"

[...]

[Rowena might think she’ll win because she has a higher level than Skadi but...]

[...He is the greatest blacksmith in all of the Tower, capable of creating Divine Grade weapons and armour. That should give him the edge no?]

"Kuku..."

[... I pray for your victory...]

"...Lord Skadi."

Charymos chuckled and was swallowed up by the gate.

///

Upon receiving their gifts, Kaelen, Thyra and Draven were escorted to the door by the gentlemanly Roach.

"Remember my words, train hard and be worthy of those weapons."

The Specimens all nodded and stepped outside, except Kaelen.

"Kaelen, is something the matter?"

The Roach, and the other two seemed puzzled as well.

"There’s something I need to discuss with you in private, if you don’t mind?"

[S-shit am I really doing this? What if he kills me on the spot?]

Kaelen trembled.

[No... I have to do this! A golden opportunity has fallen on my lap, I can’t just ignore it!]

He clenched his fist and his fear was no more.

"..."

The Roach stared at Kaelen in silence before speaking.

"Yes, I do not mind."

"You two can go. Be ready for when Lord Charymos returns, there is an important announcement that he is to make."

He said, and closed the door.

"Now then, Kaelen... What is the matter?"

The gentlemanly Roach folded his arms behind his back as though to further straighten his posture and walked over to his desk, sitting at its edge with his arms now folded on his chest.

Kaelen watched his every movement intently, as though peering inside of him, in fact, that is exactly what Kaelen was doing.

[Thanks to Phantom Grasp’s passive subskill, Selective Targeting, I can see every organ within any living creature.]

[And inside of you I see...]

"Kaelen?"

"Ah! Yes, forgive me, I was in deep thought."

"I’ll get straight to the point."

Kaelen took a deep breath so that he could articulate himself clearly.

"Your deepest desire, I know what it is."

[!!]

At Kaelen’s words, the Roach’s antennae twitched.

"What? What in the world are you —"

"I can grant it."

"You? A mere Homonculi? Nonsense. To begin with, do you even know what I —"

"A Name."

[!!]

"Your greatest desire is to be Named, and I can grant it right here and now."

Kaelen extended his hand to the Roach and subconsciously made it burn with the pink hues of his Mana, illuminating the somewhat dim office.