The land revealed itself gradually, as though it had been waiting to be noticed rather than discovered.
Pale ground stretched outward in smooth curves, free of cracks or debris, untouched by erosion that should have scarred it long ago.
Vegetład grew in careful excess—dense, vibrant, and unnervingly orderly—its colors rich but slightly askew, as if the spectrum itself had been rearranged.
Nothing here looked dead, yet nothing bore the marks of age.
It was a place that endured without decay, sustained by rules no longer remembered.
At its heart lay a vast body of water, impossibly still.
The surface held the sky like polished glass, swallowing color and light without reflection. Even the wind seemed reluctant to disturb it; ripples died the moment they formed, dissolving into perfect calm.
Along the shoreline, stone gleamed faintly, smooth and rounded not by waves but by something far older and more patient.
No birds circled above.
No insects skimmed the surface. Life existed here—but it observed from a distance, as if proximity carried a cost.
As night settled, the water began to glow from within.
A soft, submerged luminescence spread beneath the surface, like starlight trapped in liquid depths.
It was mesmerizing—serene, almost inviting—yet the beauty felt impersonal, untouched by intent or mercy.
Standing there, one could not shake the certainty that the land did not welcome visitors, nor did it repel them.
It simply remained, indifferent and complete, allowing presence only for as long as it chose to endure it.
Noel's bloodied hand brushed amethyst grass that recoiled.
"This place—"
"Quiet," Rose hissed. Beneath their feet, the ground pulsed—soft, alive.
Anna knelt by the river. Its surface breathed venom‑green, frilled tendrils tasting the air. Where water touched obsidian boulders, white foam erupted, stone vanishing in milky froth.
The sweetness hit first—jasmine and overripe peaches—then the truth: an acidic haze shimmered above, dissolving motes mid‑air.
"Just a river," Anna whispered. "But… wrong."
Crystal trees overhead wept glowing sap that hissed on stone. Carnivorous orchids snapped at luminous insects.
And beneath it all—the pulse. Roots questing. Hungry.
Rose's vortex‑handseal faltered. "This shouldn't exist here."
"What?" Noel questioned. Rose conjured her dagger and threw it into the river.
"Hey, wait—you can't just throw something valuable like a weapon!" he said, already reaching his hand near the river to catch it.
But Rose pulled him back.
"What?" she said quietly. "Wait for a bit."
Noel waited. After some time, the dagger that had been inside the river slowly dried—until nothing was left of it. No trace remained.
"Do you understand now?" Rose said.
"Well, thanks for the save. Don't mind, but just be careful here," Noel replied.
"So what should we do now?" Anna asked both Noel and Rose.
"Nothing for now. First, let's see our titles and level ups."
"With that, the trio opened their screen interface and saw the titles given to them.
...
"Is this supposed to be a joke?" Noel muttered. "Does such a creepy name even exist, or is this stupid system just giving me whatever name it likes?"
He was flabbergasted by his title. Rose and Anna came forward to see it.
"Hahhh… hahhh… it's funny, Noel," Anna said, laughing—the kind of genuine laugh she hadn't had in a long time. "Even if the name is weird, it perfectly suits you."
Noel, seeing the smile on Anna's face, was mesmerized. She looked absolutely gorgeous, and all the resentment in his mind melted away.
"So what are the titles given to you both?" Noel asked.
"Mine is Sharp Shooter," Anna said.
"And mine is a little creepy, but a good name," Rose replied.
"So what is it?" Noel asked.
"Ghost of Dreams."
"Hah, do you have the guts to call it bad when mine is The Clown?" he said, then added, "Well, it's not a bad name. A clown makes people laugh. It makes me feel a little better too."
"Yeah, and for our levels… Mine is now level 13," Noel said. "My level has also been upgraded to 19," Rose added. "Mine is 20."
"I think there's nothing more to add," Noel said.
"So let's travel into this strange place."
********
The air inside this place was strange; it reeked of a smell too disgusting to bear. But the habitats and everything else around them were clean.
Even though the stench was unbearable, it didn't harm anything in the slightest.
The trio were traveling together.
They weren't feeling hungry like before, because the heat here was almost nonexistent, and there were many fruits that were edible.
"So you know, na… even if we eat all the fruits here—which is totally impossible—our throats will still be dry and we'll need water," Noel asked, turning toward Anna.
"You also know we're trying to find a water source—one that can be drunk, not one that kills," Anna replied.
"Husssh!" A sound came from the nearby bushes.
"Keep quiet and hide fast!"
Noel, Rose, and Anna ran toward a tree trunk to hide.
Anna nocked an arrow and fired it at the top of the tree.
When it lodged there, she grabbed it and climbed up using it as an anchor. Noel and Rose just used their "cheats"—Instant Step and Displacement.
"Be quiet, don't make any noise."
"Hum… hum… hum."
Loud footsteps came from the bushes. After some time, a large creature came into view.
It was a large blue tiger. Flame‑like markings covered its body. Its whole tail was wrapped in blue flames—which, surprisingly, gave off a cold feeling instead of heat.
Cuts and scars ran across its body; near its belly, the flesh was torn open, blood falling in slow rivulets, showing a recent wound.
Yet even in that state, the three of them never thought to attack the spawn. The idea never even crossed their minds.
They just stood there, shocked—shivering from the cold and the pressure radiating from the creature.
"Wha… what is this? I can't even stand properly," Noel whispered, legs shaking but still refusing to bend.
And in that moment, he made a mistake—he opened his mouth.
The tiger, which had been sleeping, didn't open its eyes.
But the flames along its tail vanished, compressing into the very tip. Then it swung its tail toward the tree where Noel and the others were hiding.
All three felt the dread and fear of death as the tail rushed toward them.
The unbearable cold crept along their skin from a distance. Rose snapped out of it first.
She grabbed Anna, threw a dagger in the distance, and swapped places with her.
"Snap out of it, Noel—fast!"
Hearing Rose's voice, Noel finally broke free from his fear. The tail was just meters away.
He grabbed Rose's hand and threw her with all his strength toward the left.
She crashed through several trees but still landed safely. At the last moment, Noel vanished—Instant Step carrying him away.
Then the tail struck.
It didn't create a loud noise or massive destruction, as they had expected.
A snowflake formed on one of the leaves, and in an instant, every leaf was covered in snow.
Within a minute, the five trees beside their original tree were frozen in ice.
The tiger opened its mouth again and released a deep breath. The air carried enough force to form a small whirlwind, and the ice shattered like glass.
Leaves, small animals, and everything in the radius were torn apart by the cold, split into countless pieces.
Noel and the others gulped nervously.
"I think it's better if I don't provoke him," Noel thought to himself.