Six weeks.
That was how long they had spent exploring the desert of the Second Floor.
Day after day, the group woke up, put on the Sun-Reflecting Mantle, reviewed the map, and pushed a little farther into the unknown.
The fight against Akashin had changed something in them.
Their growth was visible.
The Second Floor had its threats, yes, but they were coherent.
Giant sand lizards burst from beneath the dunes, fast and aggressive.
Crimson jackals always hunted in coordinated packs.
Armored insects had heated carapaces but were vulnerable to Penetration.
Dust spirits were fragile, yet irritating, slowly draining stamina.
Nothing impossible.
But more than enough to keep the group alert and evolving.
The communication crystal glowed at least once every two or three days.
Always the same way: a sharp crack, a blue flash, and that energetic voice.
— Shiiieldieee… still alive?
— For now.
— I'm rooting for you! But if you die, can I keep your shield?
— NO.
— Fine, fine. But only because you look cute when you're angry.
Another day:
— So, Shieldie, what level now? Got strong yet, or still just pretty?
— Why are you asking that?
— Purely scientific curiosity.
— Scientific?
— Okay. Romantic curiosity then.
Sienna laughed until she cried.
Marcus rolled his eyes.
Even Ethan smiled whenever Taiga's voice came through.
That bond grew stronger week after week.
With a cartographer's precision, Ethan assembled a massive map.
Even so, after six weeks of travel, the Second Floor still felt endless.
Until something changed.
They were crossing a region of towering dunes when Marcus suddenly stopped.
— Guys… look.
Everyone raised their eyes.
Between the dunes, partially emerging from the sand, stood an ancient stone structure. Large enough to stand out in the desert's vastness, yet still fitting the scale of the floor.
A monumental gate, half-buried, with solar runes carved along its top.
At its center, shining beneath the sun, was the symbol of the Second Floor.
Ethan took a slow breath.
— No doubt about it… that's the boss entrance.
Jay tightened his grip on the shield.
— We finally found it.
Sienna studied the area.
— Strange… no monsters nearby.
— Maybe that's why — Elenya murmured. — This place might be forbidden territory for them.
Marcus took a few steps forward.
— The boss is here. But we can't face it alone.
— Not something this big — Jay agreed.
— The mini-boss almost killed us — Ethan added. — The final boss is a different story.
Sienna crossed her arms.
— So… what do we do?
Jay exhaled.
— We go back.
— Warn other groups.
— Prepare a raid.
— A floor boss isn't beaten by five people.
— It's the right call — Elenya said softly.
Marcus turned around.
— Then let's move. Before the sun sets.
On the way back, sand rising with every step, the mood was heavy with expectation.
It wasn't fear.
It wasn't hesitation.
It was seriousness.
The boss was there, one gate away.
They knew that battle would be the first true large-scale test of Elysium Online.
To overcome it, they would need other players, other teams, other strategies, and total cooperation.
— This is going to be big — Sienna said.
— The biggest challenge since we entered the game — Marcus agreed.
— We'll organize everything — Ethan said. — And then… we'll defeat this boss together.
The boss gate was left behind, but the promise of the coming battle now lay straight ahead.
When the group returned to the city, the sun was already setting, painting the stone walls in orange tones.
Players approached, curious about their serious expressions.
Jay called everyone toward the central fountain, where most gathered at night. Slowly, more and more people joined.
Marcus took a deep breath and announced:
— We found the Second Floor boss gate.
A heavy silence fell.
Even the NPCs seemed attentive.
Ethan opened the map and pointed to the exact location.
— Here.
— Deep in the desert, where sand turns to granite.
— The entrance is partially buried, but fully accessible.
Some players murmured nervously. Others showed excitement.
— The boss isn't small — Sienna said.
— Not weak.
— Not stupid.
— And not optional.
Jay raised his shield.
— We're going to need a lot of people.
— We'll form a raid — Marcus finished. — Anyone who wants to live and keep playing comes with us.
Hands began to rise.
Thirty.
Forty.
Nearly fifty.
Experienced players, average ones, and desperate ones.
Everyone knew: it was this, or they would never leave that floor.
The meeting ended, and the group headed straight for the noisiest tent in the city.
Before they even arrived, they heard:
— DON'T LET IT EXPLODE NOW, PLEASE!
BOOM.
— She's still alive, right? — Jay sighed.
— Probably — Marcus replied.
Elenya knocked on the canvas.
— Taiga?
The tent flap flew open.
Taiga emerged covered in dust, hair standing on end, goggles crooked.
— SHIELD—
She stopped, adjusted her glasses, and smiled.
— …Shieldie. You came back.
Jay blushed.
Sienna burst out laughing behind him.
Ethan explained everything, showing the map and describing the temple.
Taiga listened in silence, serious in a way that was rare for her.
— This isn't a joke.
— That boss is strong.
— You'll need reinforcements, protection, potions… and maybe a bit of divine luck.
She crossed her arms.
— But I don't make luck. I make items. Let's work.
For hours, Taiga reinforced armor, redid stitching, adjusted the Sun-Reflecting Mantle, delivered special anti-exhaustion potions, gave Ethan focus stones to control mana, tuned Elenya's bow, polished Marcus's blade, and reinforced Jay's shield with a silver plate resistant to heat.
At the end, she placed her hands on her hips and looked at them.
— Done. You're officially less useless now.
— Thanks… I think? — Jay laughed.
Taiga tilted her head.
— You're not going to die. Got it?
— Huh?
She stepped closer. Too close.
— I said don't die.
— I don't care how many monsters are in there.
— Just come back alive so you can annoy me later.
Jay turned red.
— I'll be fine.
Taiga smiled confidently and lightly punched his arm.
— Of course you will, Shieldie. You can take anything.
Before letting them go, Taiga handed over a small box.
Inside, three blue crystals.
— They absorb heat and neutralize weak light attacks.
— They won't save lives…
— But they'll prevent stupid deaths.
Jay took his. Taiga held his hand for a second longer.
— Seriously. Come back alive.
— I promise.
The next morning, around fifty players gathered at the city exit.
Every class.
Every level.
Every weapon.
Marcus stepped forward.
— We move in groups.
— Our team opens the path.
— Follow Ethan's markers and don't run like idiots.
— And drink water! — Sienna shouted.
Laughter eased the tension.
Jay touched the crystal inside his mantle.
Elenya tightened her grip on the bow.
Ethan adjusted his cloak.
Marcus checked his belt.
Sienna stretched like it was a casual walk.
— Everyone ready? — Jay asked.
— READY!
The group began to march, sand rising beneath their steps.
And the sun, as if watching, lit their path.
They were going to face the Guardian of the Sun.
But this time…
They were not alone.