Chapter 112: The Crossroads Citadel

Chapter 112: Chapter 112: The Crossroads Citadel

The wind-swept golden grass swayed in rhythm across the endless steppe as Squad 07 made their way down the paved stone road toward the looming titan. The serene beauty of the perpetual sunset was suddenly broken by low, menacing growls echoing through the sweetgrass. From the shadows of nearby monoliths, a massive pack of Steppe Wind-Wolves emerged—sleek, golden-furred beasts with razor-sharp claws and eyes gleaming with predatory hunger.

Instead of panic, the squad exchanged eager glances. Fresh off their breakthrough to Level 10 and equipped with their new relics, a wild wolf pack was the ultimate opportunity to test their elevated power.

Mirei moved first. Her Cloak of the Phantom Gale blurred her silhouette against the evening light, while her newly unlocked Perception attribute instantly pierced through the tall grass, pinpointing three flankers preparing an ambush. Before the beasts could leap, three frost-infused arrows found their marks with deadly precision.

As the pack’s alpha charged, Caelen stepped into the vanguard with a roar. Channeling the massive strength boost from his Pauldrons of the Molten Hearth, he swung his greatsword in a wide arc, unleashing a localized shockwave that flattened the surrounding grass and hurled a dozen wolves backward. Beside him, Princess Lyra moved like a golden flash, her Bracers of the Sun granting her blinding attack speed as her runic blade carved through the pack in a seamless display of swordplay.

Barney anchored the defensive line with his heavy shield, while Seraphina’s Lenses of Divine Focus instantly calculated the pack’s movements, allowing her to call out tactical shifts before the wolves could execute their encirclement. Rowan casually stepped into the center of the fray, tapping his trusty hoe onto the earth. Guided by his Gardener of Eden authority, the subterranean roots beneath the steppe surged upward, binding the remaining wolves in place for a swift, clean finish.

Within minutes, the battle concluded without Squad 07 taking a single scratch. Gathering around the fallen pack, they efficiently field-dressed the beasts, securing a bounty of pristine Steppe Wolf Pelts, razor-sharp Wolf Teeth, and dense Wolf Claws. Rowan swept the materials cleanly into his system inventory, adding a valuable stash of raw trade goods to sell at the bustling markets of The Crossroads Citadel towering just ahead.

***

The paved merchant road wound through the undulating golden sweetgrass, leading closer to the colossal stone ribs of the Crossroads Citadel. As Squad 07 pressed forward with their fresh haul of wolf pelts and teeth, they began spotting other adventuring groups traversing the steppe.

Whenever another party entered view, the atmospheric tension shifted instantly. Conversation died down, and hands subtly shifted closer to weapon hilts. Squad 07 naturally widened their path, keeping a strict fifty-yard perimeter between themselves and any passing climbers.

In the Tower, there were no true alliances beyond one’s own squad.

Beyond the anti-monster barriers of established towns like Glowstone Refuge or the Citadel, law enforcement was a myth. The open floors operated on a silent, brutal reality: human beings would plunder, backstab, and butcher one another for a high-tier relic, a rare boss core, or a heavy bag of coins. So long as a crime left no living witnesses and no paper trail, the Tower’s system cared nothing for moral infractions. A dead party buried deep within the tall grass of the Golden Steppe was just another statistic attributed to rogue megafauna.

Mirei’s Cloak of the Phantom Gale shimmered as she casually adjusted her position, keeping her sightlines angled toward a heavily armored five-man group that lingered a second too long on Rowan’s pack. Through her newly enhanced Perception, she mapped every subtle twitch of their fingers and every calculating glance toward their equipment.

Caelen kept his heavy greatsword resting on his shoulder, his broad frame squared beneath his Pauldrons of the Molten Hearth, exuding an aura of raw physical violence that served as an unspoken warning. Beside him, Princess Lyra’s expression grew ice-cold, her golden aura coiling tightly beneath her Bracers of the Sun. Having just survived an assassination plot on Floor 4, she understood better than anyone how easily human malice could hide behind a friendly smile.

Rowan tipped the brim of his Enchanted Straw Hat, his eyes calm as he scanned the wide horizon. He didn’t pick fights, but his Gardener of Eden traits kept him hyper-aware of every rustle in the surrounding sweetgrass.

The passing teams picked up on Squad 07’s sharp readiness, high-tier gear, and unbothered posture. Calculating the heavy cost of a fight, every group chose to pass by in tense silence, allowing Rowan and his team to reach the massive outer gates of the Crossroads Citadel without incident.

***

Passing beneath the ancient stone archways of The Crossroads Citadel, Squad 07 entered the grand hall of the regional Adventurer’s Guild. The interior was staggering—a sprawling hub carved directly inside the titan’s colossal ribs, bustling with veteran mercenaries, merchant traders, and elite parties preparing to cross into Tier 2 floors. After completing their official registration with the local guild clerks, the team gathered around the massive, multi-tiered quest board overflowing with posted commissions.

Recognizing the sheer variety of opportunities in the Citadel, the squad quickly decided to divide and conquer to maximize their efficiency and build up their town standing.

Barney was immediately drawn to the high-yield trade requests. With his newly acquired Anvil of the Ancestral Forge, he claimed a stack of lucrative blacksmithing contracts, offering to repair, reinforce, and re-enchant battle-worn gear for passing adventurers in exchange for top-tier coin. Beside him, Seraphina adjusted her Lenses of Divine Focus, picking through urgent alchemy commissions. Her task was to refine stabilization elixirs and buff potions to support local adventuring parties heading into deep floor expeditions.

Meanwhile, Rowan found a collection of neglected agricultural requests from the Citadel’s outer terraced farms. The unique, perpetual sunset environment of Floor 5 created unusual soil conditions, leading to stunted crop growth and nutrient rot. For a wielder of the Gardener of Eden traits, improving soil vitality, purifying crop blights, and drastically accelerating harvest yields for the town was standard, effortless work.

For frontline combat, Caelen, Mirei, and Princess Lyra formed a lethal tri-party. They pulled a thick stack of high-grade hunting and perimeter patrol bounties off the board. Eager to test their Level 10 power and push their limits further, the trio planned to sweep the surrounding Golden Steppe, hunting dangerous megafauna, harvesting elite beast loot, and grinding massive amounts of combat experience.

Standing near the guild entrance, Rowan tipped the brim of his Enchanted Straw Hat, looking across at his organized team with a satisfied smirk.

"Let’s meet back up in two days," Rowan told the squad, resting his trusty hoe over his shoulder. "We’ll accumulate as much merit, coin, and resources as we can completing these quests, then regroup to plan our next big move."

With a collective nod of agreement, Squad 07 dispersed into the bustling metropolis, each member setting out to master their respective tasks across the Crossroads Citadel.