Parallel Vol. 5

Chapter 3: Seven and Four Floors

Tense silence reigned over the battlefield as Kashi looked at the enraged Brilith and Sonic. Kashi understood their anger. No one liked being played for a fool, and currently, it looked very much like he had tricked them.

Well, technically, Kashi did trick the duo, but it was for a good cause. Kashi's lips curled in a slight smile as he said, "I understand why you're mad, but I did it for our own good." Kashi quickly explained the Undead's Blessing, and then said, "Sorry, I had to trick you all so I could fool the Chaos Order. I'm certain they are not aware of this buff. Once they do, they'll do anything to disrupt our army and let more undead pass. Then, it'll be an unmitigated disaster. Once enough undead get blessed, they can pass through the gates and hunt down those of us inside Oni Hill. Imagine facing thousands of liches. That's what we'll have to endure if we let the Undead reach the gate."

Brilith and Sonic frowned. If Kashi spoke the truth, they had just avoided a massive disaster. But, how could they know he was telling the truth.

Kashi shrugged when he saw the skepticism in their eyes. "I do not mind telling you the truth. I know Razznik's player from King's Journey. He told me everything about Oni Hill, and the numerous traps the Demon King, and then he, himself laid out." Kashi nodded at Shokō, who gamely put away her sword. "As a show of good faith, I'll tell you what we're going to face in Oni Hill."

Sonic's gaze turned sharp. He did not yet believe Kashi, but he would not turn down information on Oni Hill. So, he patiently asked, "What do you know?"

Kashi did not mind Sonic's harsh tone. It was already a miracle that they had not broken out into a fight. Sonic and Brilith's mental fortitude showed why they had grown to lead the largest clans in Destia.

"Your leaders probably told you that Oni Hill is divided into eight floors, but that's wrong. Razznik and the Demon King released false information to crush anyone who dared to invade."

"Oni Hill is divided into twelve floors. Originally, there were eleven, modeled after the Seven Deadly Sins and the Four Last Things, but Razznik added an extra floor to house his loot and wealth." Kashi paused and then added, "Death, Hell, and Heaven take up the first three floors while the Seven Calamitous Sins take up the next seven floors. The eleventh floor is the treasury, and the twelfth is the throne room, also known as the Judgment Floor."

Kashi's eyes took on a wistful look as he sunk into old memories of a past life. "Death, Hell, and Heaven floors use a horde-mode concept. If I recall correctly, there are twelve undead cores, devil cores, and angel cores on each floor respectively. Each of these cores is like those dungeon cores that regularly spew out monsters. To reach the next floor, you have to either eliminate every monster or destroy all the cores."

Kashi revealed an excited grin as he mumbled, "Considering Oni Hill hasn't had visitors for centuries, I wonder how many thousands of these monsters are running around on those floors. I suggest you focus on eliminating the cores instead of fighting the monsters, or they'll wear you out."

Brilith's eyes narrowed. "We only have a few hours. How are we supposed to find these cores?"

Kashi revealed a sneaky smirk. "Oh, you do not need to worry about that. Once we go in, you cannot miss them."

Sonic frowned but did not press for more details. Instead, he asked, "What about the Seven Calamitous Sins."

Kashi tapped his chin. "Wrath, Envy, Greed, Gluttony, Sloth, Lust, and Pride in that order. Each floor forces an unblockable debuff that has to do with the theme. The actual floor's state changes every day, but one thing is constant. To advance, we must make it to the end of the floor and defeat the floor master."