The forest did not welcome them.
It watched.
Silent.
Still.
Ancient.
"…Stay sharp."
Kiraya's voice cut through the tension as the joint raid force of Eternity Lions and Burning Pride advanced through the dense woodland.
No wind.
No movement.
No sound—
Other than footsteps.
Too quiet.
"…I hate this kind of place."
Sumi muttered under her breath, her dagger already drawn, eyes scanning every direction.
"…Feels like something's staring at us."
"It is."
Fayzan answered plainly.
A faint glow of heat flickered around his fists.
"…Just don't assume it's only one."
Behind them—
Hinabi raised her hand slightly.
"…Backline, tighten formation."
Her tone was calm.
But sharp.
"…Mages ready."
"…Archers—hold your fire until confirmed targets."
Magumo scoffed lightly.
"…You're all acting like it's some horror story."
A pause.
"…They're just trees."
Silence.
Then—
Ayame spoke softly.
"…No."
Her staff trembled slightly.
"…They're not."
Crack.
A small sound.
Barely noticeable.
But enough.
Kiraya's eyes snapped to the left.
"…Contact—!"
Too late.
The forest—
Moved.
Roots erupted from the ground.
Branches twisted violently.
And trees—
Began to shift.
Wood cracked.
Bark split.
Massive figures tore themselves free from the earth.
Treants.
Dozens.
Their hollow eyes glowed faintly.
Their bodies massive—
Towering over the players.
And then—
They attacked.
"MOVE!"
Kiraya surged forward first.
Shield raised—
BANG
A massive branch slammed against it.
The impact shook the ground beneath her feet.
"…Tch—!"
She pushed back.
Hard.
"…Frontline, engage!"
Fayzan dashed forward beside her.
[Warrior Skill: Blazing Dash]
Flames erupted as he tore through the battlefield—
His fist connecting with a treant's core.
BOOM
Wood exploded outward—
Burning instantly.
"…They're weak to fire!"
Hinabi smirked.
"…Good."
Her hand ignited—
"…Because that's my specialty."
[Mage Skill: Infernal Bloom]
Flames spread across the battlefield—
Engulfing multiple treants at once.
They screeched—
Branches flailing wildly as fire consumed them.
But they didn't fall easily.
Roots burst from the ground—
Grabbing—
Restricting—
"…They're controlling the terrain!"
Ayame shouted.
Her staff glowed desperately.
"…I can't keep up if they keep this pressure—!"
"Then don't let them!"
Magumo burst forward.
His blade cleaving through a vine mid-air.
"…Cut the roots before they spread!"
Sumi vanished from sight—
Reappearing behind a treant.
Slash.
Slash.
Slash.
"…Found the core."
Her blade pierced deep.
"…Take it down!"
Arrows rained from the backline—
Striking precisely where she marked.
The treant collapsed.
But more came.
From behind.
From the sides.
From everywhere.
"…We're getting surrounded!"
"Not happening!"
Kiraya slammed her shield into the ground.
[Shield Skill: Lionheart Guard]
A shockwave burst outward—
Knocking back multiple treants at once.
"…Push forward!"
Hinabi stepped beside her.
Flames intensifying.
"…Burn a path!"
Together—
Fire and steel surged forward.
Breaking.
Clearing.
Destroying.
One by one—
The treants fell.
Burning.
Cracking.
Crumbling into ash.
And slowly—
The forest thinned.
The pressure eased.
The silence returned.
"…Is that all of them?"
Sumi exhaled.
"…For now."
Fayzan scanned the area.
"…We're close."
Ahead—
Through the charred remains of the forest—
A structure emerged.
Stone.
Ancient.
Massive.
A door.
Towering.
Covered in carvings.
"…That's it."
Kiraya stepped forward.
"…The boss room."
The words settled heavily.
Because everyone felt it.
The shift.
The weight.
The presence beyond that door.
Hinabi crossed her arms.
"…So this is where it starts."
Magumo smirked.
"…About time."
Elias, standing behind them, spoke calmly—
"…Take five minutes."
A pause.
"…Then we go in."
No one argued.
Because beyond that door—
There would be no room for mistakes.
—Town of Beginnings
The atmosphere couldn't have been more different.
Lively.
Noisy.
Alive.
Players moved through the streets.
Trading.
Talking.
Laughing.
Unaware of what was unfolding beyond the forest.
Two figures walked through the crowd.
Calm.
Unhurried.
Rio.
And Ryota.
Indra still rested atop Ryota's head—
Completely asleep.
"…Still out cold."
Ryota muttered.
Rio glanced at the small dragon.
"…He used a lot of energy."
A pause.
"…Let him rest."
They continued walking.
Shops lined the streets.
Voices filled the air.
Normal.
"…So."
Ryota looked at Rio.
"…What now?"
Rio didn't hesitate.
"…We resupply."
A pause.
"…Potions. Equipment. Ammunition."
She turned slightly.
"…Everything."
Ryota blinked.
"…That serious?"
Rio nodded.
"…Yes."
Her eyes sharpened slightly.
"…Because right now—"
A brief pause.
"…They're already inside."
Ryota tilted his head.
"…They?"
Rio continued walking.
"…Eternity Lions."
"…Burning Pride."
Another pause.
"…They're raiding the dungeon."
Ryota's brows lifted.
"…Already?"
"…Mm."
"…And if we're late—"
She didn't finish.
She didn't need to.
Because Ryota understood.
"…They're in trouble"
Rio stopped.
Just for a moment.
Her gaze distant.
Calculating.
"…Maybe."
A pause.
Then—
A faint smile.
"…I don't know why but I feel something bad is going to happen…"
She turned.
"…But for now let's go resupply"
Ryota grinned.
"…Yeah."
A beat.
"…Sounds more like it."
The two of them moved again.
Through the crowd.
Through the noise.
Toward preparation.
Toward the next battle.
Unaware—
That beyond the dungeon door—
Something was already waiting.
Watching.
And smiling.
The door did not open.
It accepted them.
Slowly—
Heavily—
With a deep, grinding sound that echoed like something ancient waking from a long, unwilling sleep.
"...Move."
Kiraya stepped forward first.
Shield raised.
Sword ready.
Behind her—
Eternity Lions and Burning Pride advanced as one.
One hundred twenty-nine players.
Elite units.
Scouts.
Mages.
Healers.
All stepping into the unknown.
The moment the last player crossed the threshold—
BOOM.
The doors slammed shut behind them.
Sealed.
Locked.
Final.
"…That's not ominous at all."
Sumi muttered.
No one laughed.
Because the room—
Changed.
It wasn't just a chamber.
It was an arena.
Massive.
Circular.
The floor was carved with intricate patterns—fractured lines that split across the stone like broken glass.
At the far end—
Two figures stood.
Still.
Silent.
Waiting.
"…Two…?"
Fayzan's voice lowered.
Disbelief.
Because standing there—
Were not one.
But two bosses.
The first—
A towering figure clad in jagged black armor.
Cracked.
Broken.
Reforged.
From those cracks—
A faint crimson glow pulsed.
Like a heart—
Shattered.
Again.
And again.
And again.
His shield—
Massive.
Scarred.
Large enough to hide his entire body.
Dark mist leaked from beneath his armor—
Twisting.
Whispering.
Restless.
Each step he took—
BOOM.
Felt like weight.
Like regret.
Like something dragging itself forward.
The Dark Knight.
The second—
Stepped forward without sound.
A tall, graceful figure.
White armor.
Perfect.
Untouched.
Gold filigree shimmered softly under the dim light.
Her face—
Visible.
Calm.
Expressionless.
Eyes glowing with pure white light.
Behind her—
A faint, fractured halo hovered.
From her back—
Chains of light extended.
Floating.
Elegant.
Beautiful—
And terrifying.
Each step she took left a shimmer—
Like echoes of promises long broken.
The White Knight.
"…You've got to be kidding me."
Magumo whispered.
Because the system—
Confirmed it.
[Boss Encounter Initiated]
Dark Knight — Harbinger of Fractured Hearts
White Knight — Warden of Unbroken Vows
Silence.
Then—
"…Formation!"
Kiraya snapped instantly.
"…Frontline forward! Healers to the rear!"
Hinabi's flames ignited.
"…We split their attention!"
Elias stepped forward.
Calm.
But sharp.
"…No panic."
A pause.
"…We fight smart."
Then—
The bosses moved.
The Dark Knight stepped forward—
Heavy.
Deliberate.
The White Knight—
Glided.
Weightless.
And then—
Everything broke.
"—CONTACT!"
Kiraya rushed forward—
Shield first—
CLANG
Her shield met the Dark Knight's.
The impact—
Cracked the ground beneath her feet.
"…What the hell—?!"
The force alone—
Nearly pushed her back.
Behind her—
Fayzan surged forward.
Flames roaring—
"MOVE!"
He struck—
But the Dark Knight didn't budge.
Not even an inch.
Then—
The White Knight raised her hand.
"..."
Chains of light shot outward.
Fast.
Precise.
Binding players—
One.
Two.
Ten.
Dozens.
"…What is this—?!"
Ayame gasped.
Her body locked—
Connected.
"…Linked damage—!"
Hinabi clicked her tongue.
"…Stay close!"
But it was already too late.
The chains tightened.
Glowing brighter.
Every movement—
Every step—
Punished.
"…We're tethered—!"
"Break it!"
"Can't—!"
The White Knight lifted slightly.
Hovering.
Her halo flickering.
Then—
She moved.
Boss Skill: Radiant Cascade.
Waves of light exploded outward.
Layer after layer—
Faster—
Wider—
Covering the entire arena.
"—DODGE!"
But with chains binding them—
Movement was limited.
Restricted.
Pain spread instantly.
HP bars dropped.
Screams echoed.
Then—
The Dark Knight moved.
He raised his shield.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
"…No…"
Fayzan's eyes widened.
"…Everyone—MOVE—!"
Too late.
The shield slammed down.
Boss Skill: Abyssal Bastion Crash.
BOOM.
A massive shockwave erupted—
Darkness consuming everything in its path.
Players hit—
Bodies thrown—
And worse—
Frozen.
Rooted.
Immobilized.
"—I can't move—!"
"Stunned—!"
"…No—!"
And then—
The White Knight's Radiant Cascade continued.
Unstoppable.
Unavoidable.
Light crashed into frozen bodies.
Again.
Again.
Again.
HP bars—
Shattered.
One by one—
Players fell.
Silently.
Brutally.
Erased.
The arena filled with light—
Then—
Silence.
When the dust settled—
The battlefield was empty.
Not completely.
But almost.
Bodies—
Gone.
Defeated.
Out of one hundred twenty-nine—
Only twenty-five remained.
Standing.
Barely.
Elias.
Hinabi.
Kiraya.
Fayzan.
Sumi.
Ayame.
Magumo.
And eighteen others.
The strongest.
The survivors.
"…What the hell…"
Sumi's voice trembled.
"…That was one attack…"
Fayzan clenched his fists.
"…A combo…"
Hinabi exhaled slowly.
"…They're synced."
Elias stepped forward.
His expression—
Unchanged.
But his eyes—
Sharp.
"…We adapt."
A pause.
"…Or we die."
Kiraya raised her shield again.
"…Then we adapt."
Her voice—
Steady.
Unbroken.
"…No one else is dying here."
The White Knight lowered slightly.
Chains shifting around her.
The Dark Knight stepped forward again.
Heavy.
Unstoppable.
And the arena—
Waited.
Because this fight—
Wasn't about strength.
It was about understanding.
And they had just learned—
The price of getting it wrong.