They finally reached the 49th floor, where an eerie silence greeted them.

The air was dense, almost suffocating, with a cold that seemed to seep into their bones.

The walls were adorned with ancient runes, glowing faintly with a malevolent light.

It made them wary as they hadn’t seen runes on the walls before now. Somehow, even with no enemy in sight, their presence exuded power.

The sight made them back each other.

The 49th floor was empty.

There was no boss in sight unlike the other grounds.

The debris had increased the pace at which they fell so they were constantly dodging them.

They also had a reduced number of drones.

Many of the drones had been taken out by both the debris in the recent levels and the Boss of their rooms.

Now only a paltry number remained and they hovered around the two figures whirring in confusion.

That didn’t mean the place was completely empty.

The floor was littered with human remains, some still clad in rusted armor.

There was a difference in the remains as opposed to the kind they had seen at the entrance and in previous levels.

Instead of skeletons which they had seen, these were actual bodies that looked fresh.

Around them, they could make out a blond guy, a redhead, two burly guys and even three little kids.

The effect was unsettling and horror like.

They all looked like they were just sleeping but on closer look, their eyes were all open and looked hollow.

Their faces were set in a fear mask and it looked like they had been scared senseless out of their wits just before they died.

Paul and Lillith paused, taking in the grim scene before them.

The oppressive atmosphere was a stark contrast to the frantic battles they had faced on the lower floors.

They were now unsure if the bodies were actual real bodies or something that came with the Tower just to mess with their minds.

This place felt more sinister, as if it harbored an ancient, malevolent presence.

"Stay sharp," Paul whispered, his voice barely audible.

Lillith nodded, her grip tightening on her daggers. They moved forward cautiously, their senses on high alert.

Every step echoed ominously, and the feeling of being watched grew more intense with each passing moment.

Suddenly three drones in front of them burst into flames and Paul parried a blow just above Lilith’s head.

She was shocked to hear the clang of two weapons hitting each other even though she couldn’t see the other.

An invisible opponent had tried to kill her and Paul had stopped it right on time.

The runes on the walls suddenly flared to life, and a deep, rumbling voice echoed through the chamber.

"Who dares disturb my slumber?"

A massive figure materialized before them, shrouded in darkness.

It was a towering demon, its eyes burning with a fierce, unholy light. Its body was covered in jagged armor, and its hands ended in razor-sharp claws.

He looked like a far upgraded version of the Hell Kobold spawn.

"I am Malakath, Guardian and second in command of the Crumbling Tower. None shall pass without facing my wrath."

Paul stepped forward, his hammer at the ready. "We’re not here to disturb your slumber, Malakath. We’re here to conquer this Tower."

Besides him, Lillith thought his response corny but was glad at the confidence he had.

Malakath let out a guttural laugh. "Fools. You have no idea what you’re up against. This floor is my domain, and you are nothing but insects to be crushed."

With a roar, Malakath charged at them, his claws slashing through the air.

~SWISHHHHHH!!!~

Paul met his attack head-on, his hammer clashing against the demon’s claws.

The impact sent shockwaves through the chamber, and the ground trembled beneath their feet.

Lillith darted to the side, her daggers glinting in the dim light. She moved with lethal precision, striking at the demon’s exposed joints.

~ROAGRRRRRR!!!!~

Malakath roared in pain and fury, his movements becoming more erratic and aggressive.

Paul’s <Warlord’s Tactics> and <Battle Supremacy> skills again came into play, allowing him to anticipate Malakath’s moves and counter them effectively.

Each blow he landed weakened the demon, but Malakath’s resilience was astounding.

Lillith continued her assault from the side, her superior agility allowing her to evade Malakath’s wild swings.

She aimed for the weak points in his armor, her daggers slicing through the gaps with deadly accuracy right after Paul had landed some blows of his own.

Despite their combined efforts, Malakath seemed to draw strength from the Tower itself, his wounds healing almost as quickly as they were inflicted.

"We need to find a way to cut off his power source," Paul shouted over the din of battle.

Lillith’s eyes scanned the chamber, searching for any clue that might help. Her gaze fell on the glowing runes, and an idea sparked in her mind.

"The runes! They’re feeding him power!" she yelled back.

Paul nodded, understanding instantly. "I’ll keep him occupied. You deal with the runes."

Lillith moved swiftly, her daggers flashing as she carved through the runes on the walls.

Each rune she destroyed weakened Malakath further, his roars of pain growing louder with every strike.

Paul fought with renewed vigor, his hammer smashing into Malakath with relentless force. The demon’s movements grew sluggish, and his healing slowed. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

With a final, desperate effort, Lillith destroyed the last rune. Malakath let out a deafening scream as the power sustaining him was cut off.

~ARGHHHHHHHHH!!!!~

Paul seized the opportunity, delivering a crushing blow to the demon’s chest.

Malakath staggered, his body disintegrating into a cloud of dark smoke. The chamber fell silent once more, the oppressive atmosphere lifting.

Paul and Lillith stood amidst the ruins, breathing heavily but victorious. The path to the upper floors was now clear, but they knew the true test still awaited them.

"Good work," Paul said, offering Lillith a tired smile.

"Thanks," she replied, wiping the sweat from her brow. "Let’s finish this."

"Look around," Paul said to her gesturing to the ground.

The dead bodies had all disappeared with Malakath’s defeat.

Somehow it gladdened their heart as they now knew for sure that the bodies hadn’t been real.

With renewed determination, they continued their ascent.