Lavapup POV:

  I felt the buffs surge through my body, my movements turning faster—lighter—almost fluid.

  I drove my foot into the ground and sprinted forward with everything I had, charging straight at the Bone Ape.

  Clenching my fists, I swung at the beast and felt my knuckles sink into its thick fur at full force. The impact traveled up my arms—bone cracking beneath my strike.

  For a moment, I felt invincible.

  All those buffs from BakingTray stacked perfectly, wrapping around me like invisible armor. I'd slipped up earlier, sure—but who cared? I trusted him.

  He'd pulled us out of worse situations more times than I could count.

  Besides, my Soulfire cooldown had less than twenty seconds left.

  "Eat that, monkey!" I shouted, stepping in with a high kick and driving my foot straight into its side.

  The ape slid back a short distance, cws digging into the earth, but it stayed standing—barely.

  Its legs trembled, struggling to hold its massive frame upright.

  Its health bar was beautifully low.

  Not much left now.

  "Three... two... one..."

  I counted down, eyes locked on the fire icon ticking away at the edge of my vision.

  The moment it refreshed, I jumped.

  "Soulfire!"

  Heat exploded through my veins. My vision sharpened instantly, the world snapping into terrifying crity as my fingertips ignited, fmes racing up my arms and across my body.

  With my power surging, I spun mid-air and brought my heel crashing down against its skull.

  The impact shattered bone.

  Fragments flew past me, accompanied by a violent gush of blood.

  "Ewww!" I winced as something warm spshed against my cheek.

  I hated blood. I always tried to keep it to a minimum—but this game didn't exactly give you the option to turn it off completely. Still... I could live with this much.

  At least it was over.

  The ape colpsed, lifeless, and the system confirmed it in its usual emotionless tone.

  "Congratutions. You have sin a Kinged Bone Ape."

  Lame.

  A little enthusiasm wouldn't kill them.

  I turned toward BakingTray immediately, spotting the white-haired boy in his blue robe bent over, violently throwing up.

  I moved to pat his back—but froze.

  Another notification smmed into my vision.

  "All conditions met. Beginning world quest: Maiden of the Bells."

  Before I could even process it, a massive purple-blue rift tore open behind me, its pull instant and overwhelming.

  "Ahhh—what the hell is happening?!" I shouted, grabbing onto BakingTray's cloak as my feet were yanked off the ground.

  "Urgh—what the hell are you doing?!" he choked, his face an unhealthy mix of blue and green.

  The pull was way too strong.

  "You crazy woman, you'll kill us both!" he croaked, cwing at the fabric as I accidentally cut off his air.

  Then the world twisted.

  Colors bled into each other, reality folding and stretching until my head spun violently—

  —and suddenly, we were gone.

  I hit solid ground in a completely different pce, with BakingTray colpsing beside me, gasping desperately for air.

  I barely noticed.

  "Woah... look at that, Tray..." I whispered in awe.

  Blue, faintly glowing leaves swayed gently above us. Violet grass rippled in the wind, and a turquoise river cut gracefully through the nd, shimmering like liquid light.

  I tapped him on the shoulder, nudging him to take a look, but he didn't respond.

  "Who are you—don't get any closer!"

  BakingTray's voice snapped sharp, and instinctively I followed his gaze.

  Two figures stood before us.

  They were knights—abnormally rge ones—encased in ghostly green armor that shimmered faintly like mist trapped in metal. Each of them held a spear easily twice their height, the tips resting ominously against the ground.

  Tray already had his wand raised. Frost crept along its tip, crackling softly, ready for another fight.

  I clenched my fists without thinking, my heart hammering against my ribs.

  These weren't normal enemies.

  They were strong. Too strong for us. And judging by the way Tray's amethyst eyes darted around—searching for an escape, a spell, anything—he knew it too. Sweat rolled down his pale face despite the cool air.

  Then one of the knights raised a hand.

  "Do not fret, mortals. We are not your enemy."

  Both of them dropped to their knees in unison, ying their spears on the ground in front of them.

  Completely defenseless.

  "...What is going on?" I whispered into Tray's pointed ear.

  "Mate, I don't know," he muttered back. "Just don't do anything stupid or we're fucked."

  One of the knights lifted his hollow helmeted head.

  I flinched.

  "Fair maiden," it spoke.

  That caught me completely off guard.

  "We would like to escort you."

  Tray and I just stared at each other. His face twisted into visible confusion—and honestly, I felt the same.

  "Escort?" I asked hesitantly, taking a half-step behind BakingTray. I didn't even realize I was doing it until I was already hiding behind him. "To where?"

  "To the Venus Pace," one knight answered, "where His Lordship, King Xivan, resides."

  The other continued seamlessly, their voices echoing together in a way that made my skin prickle.

  "The Spirit King felt your arrival and decred that the prophecy has begun. We were sent to this pce—to you, fair maiden—because you are the Prophesied Maiden."

  Before I could even process that, a clear, ringing melody echoed through the air.

  Then came the system voice. Cold. Perfect. Unwavering.

  "Congratutions. You have received the minor title: Prophesied Maiden."

  My mind went completely bnk.

  A title?

  I didn't even know titles existed. The game had been running for three weeks already and no one—no one—had received anything like this.

  "A... title?" Tray muttered slowly, turning toward me.

  I didn't have an answer. I didn't even know what it meant.

  "How do you know?" I asked him, still staring at the notification like it might vanish.

  "The system announced it," he said. "Globally. It said something like—

  'Attention: Pyer Lavapup has received the first title: Prophesied Maiden.'"

  My eyes widened.

  Globally?

  That... that was huge. Way bigger than I'd thought.

  But there was no time to spiral about it—because the two green knights were still kneeling in front of us.

  I cleared my throat, about to speak.

  But BakingTray stepped forward before I could.

  "We will oblige," he said firmly. "Escort us to the pace at once."

  Something about him changed in that moment. His posture, his voice—he carried himself differently, like he'd slipped into a role without even realizing it.

  "And who are you?" one knight asked, clearly confused. Until now, they'd barely acknowledged him.

  "I am the Maiden's guide and her guard," Tray answered without hesitation.

  "It is my duty to ensure her frail frame remains pristine and unharmed. Should the need arise, I will respond with violence."

  I almost choked.

  We stood zero chance against them—and he knew it—but he still said it anyway.

  The knights paused.

  Then both nodded.

  "Very well," they said in unison, rising to their feet. "We shall guide you to His Majesty without incident, as per the Spirit King's will."

  They bowed deeply before turning away, be

  ginning to walk across the purple fields ahead of us.

  I stared after them... then gnced at BakingTray's back.

  My heart was still racing.

  What the hell did I just get myself into?