The dirt road led straight toward the heart of Grovefall.
The group walked amid teasing remarks and small verbal clashes. As always, Sienna and Marcus were arguing.
"You cut down that wolf I had already marked," she complained.
"It was about to bite you," Marcus shot back.
"It wasn't, big soldier," she crossed her arms, irritated.
Jay laughed, resting the shield on his shoulder.
"At this rate, you two are going to kill each other before the boss even shows up."
"Only if he keeps playing the knight in shining armor," Sienna said, casting Marcus a sideways glance.
"I'm not saving anyone," he replied. "I just don't let my team die."
"Cute," she teased, stepping in front of him.
It was like that the entire way.
When they reached the hill overlooking the village, Ethan noticed it immediately.
Grovefall felt… different.
Too many lights.
Too many shouts.
Too much movement.
Excitement mixed with panic.
Blacksmiths hammered nonstop, mages carried glowing mana crystals, merchants shouted inflated prices. The entire city seemed to be operating at its limit.
"The atmosphere's off," Elenya murmured.
A group of players ran past them.
"It's today!"
"They found it!"
"Tomorrow the main tent will be packed!"
Jay raised an eyebrow.
"Something big is going on."
Ethan grabbed one of the runners by the arm.
"What happened?"
"They found the boss," the player answered, out of breath. "A scout team located its area, near the waterfall clearing… but it was horrible. Two people died on the spot."
Marcus narrowed his eyes.
"How?"
"Its roots attack like spears. Fast. Precise. And the strength…" the player swallowed hard. "It's massive."
Sienna clicked her tongue.
"Great. Murderous trees. Just what we needed."
"The meeting is tomorrow," the player continued. "Everyone's going. Guilds, independent groups, even the solo players. They want to build a general strategy."
The group exchanged glances.
"Then let's go," Ethan said.
The square was near the city center.
When they arrived, it looked like the entire First Floor had gathered there.
More than two hundred players argued at the same time. Maps were scribbled on the ground, mana lanterns lit tense faces, and the air smelled of hot metal and sweat.
Shouting. Debates. Disagreements.
Jay let out a low whistle.
"Organized chaos."
Suddenly, Darren climbed onto an improvised crate.
"SILENCE!"
The noise died down — not completely, but enough.
"Let's begin," he said. "The scouting group returned recently. They couldn't map everything, but they saw the boss clearly."
He pointed to a large map in the center of the square.
"It's here, in the clearing behind the waterfall. A creature made of living wood. A giant tree… with arms, trunk, head. All dense branches."
A swordsman shouted:
"If it's a tree, just cut it!"
Several people agreed.
"Wood burns!"
"Just bring more mages!"
"Brute force will do it!"
Marcus snorted.
"A bunch of idiots. You think that thing's dry firewood?"
The swordsman turned toward him.
"Little soldier, nobody asked you."
Marcus stepped forward. Jay grabbed his shoulder.
"Let it go. They're nervous."
Sienna crossed her arms, smiling.
"I vote we let Marcus punch him just a little. Might solve half the problems."
"No one's punching anyone," Elenya cut in.
Ethan raised his hand.
"Listen. If two players died, it's not just wood. We need to understand how it moves. How it attacks."
Darren nodded.
"The roots strike like spears. Long range, high precision. It prioritizes the backline."
"So," Elenya said, "archers and mages need space. And protection."
"Which means the front line holds and cuts," the swordsman insisted. "Simple."
Jay crossed his arms.
"If it can think… it won't allow that."
Sienna raised an eyebrow.
"And we don't even know where the core is."
Murmurs spread.
"A core?"
"It has one?"
"Where?"
"It should," Ethan replied. "Like other monsters on this floor. We'll only know once we face it."
Marcus studied the map.
"The trunk is thick. It could be in the center… or protected among the upper branches."
"Well look at that," Sienna teased. "The soldier thinks."
"Shut up."
"Make me."
Jay sighed.
"Focus, people."
Darren continued:
"We need three fronts.
Tanks and heavy fighters on the front line.
Mages applying pressure, especially fire.
Ranged attackers searching for the core and providing support."
Most of the crowd agreed.
"We'll gather everyone tomorrow at dawn," Darren concluded. "Coordination will decide this fight, not brute force."
The meeting ended in murmurs and side plans.
As the square thinned out, Darren approached Ethan.
"You spoke well. Kept a cool head."
"I just don't want to die."
"No one does," Darren sighed. "But fewer people still want to escape."
The group exchanged looks.
"Many gave up," Darren continued. "They chose to survive here."
Jay looked around the city: blacksmiths laughing, merchants selling, groups forming bonds.
"If dying here means dying for real… it makes sense," Marcus said.
"There are parents here," Darren added. "People with families waiting outside. It's not cowardice. It's fear."
Silence settled heavily.
Elenya broke it first.
"But someone has to move forward."
Jay nodded.
"If we don't open the path… no one will."
Sienna scoffed, but her eyes were serious.
"I want to go back. I'm not dying inside a game."
Marcus smirked slightly.
"Neither am I. Especially with you annoying me every day."
"If you fall, I'll send flowers," she said. "Maybe."
Jay shook his head.
"You two are going to kill each other."
"After the boss," Marcus replied.
Despite the banter, the truth was clear.
They had become a group because they complemented each other.
"We're getting out of here together," Elenya said.
"You can bet on it," Marcus replied.
Jay raised his shield.
"I'll protect you."
Ethan nodded, feeling both the weight and the warmth of the decision.
"Then it's settled.
Tomorrow… we face the First Floor."
Darren took a deep breath.
"Rest well. Tomorrow we'll find out whether this world will devour us…"
"…or if we'll devour it."
The five exchanged looks.
There was no turning back.
The boss was waiting.