So merry I was from watching the seventh floor coalesce that the newest adventurers hardly bothered me. An annoyance, to be sure, but a mild one; a chipped scale, some bone caught in my teeth. Hardly worth the effort of noticing.

I did notice them, because I wasn't an idiot, but it was a gentle perusal. A group of five, this time, with four Silvers and a skittish, nervous Bronze who did not particularly look like she was excited to be here, even as her mouth fell open in face of my glorious Fungal Gardens.

At least some had the decency to be properly awestruck. The four behind her, various grim-faced humans, including a few with different features than I was used to on those from Calarata, didn't look hardly so enthused.

Their loss.

My floor had successfully regrouped from the last magma-inclined invader, though wisps of steam still curled from the green algae and there was a distinct charred tinge to the air. Lunar cave bears, still nursing burnt fur for all I had healed the skin underneath, peered warily from the depths of their dens, Nuvja's shadows curled about. I had plenty to do, and I trusted that these Silvers and their strange, sacrificial Bronze that, once again, did not look to be part of the team, would not make it particularly far.

I peered at the invaders again.

Would they mind dying? And quickly, please.

But I was hardly so feckless with only some points to my name, so I leveled one last glare at their irritatingly armoured backs and then slipped down, piece by piece, until the bulk of my consciousness hovered over my newest area of refinement.

The Skylands.

For too long had they been a dumping ground for all things gathering dust in my core. No longer. All of the unfortunately fire-inclined creatures had traversed below, to the still unnamed seventh floor, and the Magelords were finishing up their final carvings of their newest dens. Already, the floor was nearing completion, ready to come together in one explosive finish—one or two days of solid, steady work, and I would welcome a newly completed floor to my halls.

Although, an odd question—I was plenty ready to begin, but that did depend on if all my parts were equally inclined. I flashed a glance back to my core.

Dragonheart Core

Mana: 34.6 / 75

Mana Regeneration: +1.3 per hour

Patrons: Rhoborh, God of Symbiosis; Mayalle, Goddess of Whirlpools; Nuvja, Goddess of Shadows

Titles: Resurrector, Welcomer