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While the fight had been grueling, in hindsight, it had been an enjoyable experience. Their efforts were well-rewarded—the eye golem’s loot was exceptionally good.

Among the rewards was the black-and-red crystal that had previously rested on the pedestal. It shot out from its place like an ejected cassette and transformed mid-air into a ring, landing directly in Crim’s hand.

The ring was called Shape Shifter TPH-R.

Its description indicated it could take on countless forms and permutations of shadows, modifying the stats of magically-created weapons. This made it the perfect accessory for Crim, whose combat style relied heavily on such weapons.

Once everyone had recovered enough, they set off, feeling quite pleased with themselves. At least, at first…

“Hm? What’s this place? Where are we?”

Crim, who was leading the way, came to a halt and frowned. In front of them was a large room resembling a circular plaza, a space they hadn’t seen when they first entered.

“Are we somewhere new?”
“Yeah, but wasn’t the path supposed to be a straight shot?”
“Hmmm…”

The group stood there, puzzled, wondering if they had somehow wandered into a hidden side path without noticing. After a moment of hesitation, they cautiously stepped forward…

“Woah?!”
“Hyah?!”
“Kyah?!”

Crim, Hinagiku, and Lycoris, who were at the front, were suddenly enveloped in a radiant glow as they passed through the center of the room.

“Are you three okay?!”
“I… think? I don’t feel anything strange…”
“I don’t see any weird status effects or changes in my inventory either.”
“Same here.”

Despite checking multiple times, there were no visible changes or signs of danger. With the mystery of the sudden light unresolved, they resumed their journey.

Some time later, they safely returned to their campsite. There, they stored all the loot they had collected, securing everything as property of Lua Cheia. By then, quite a bit of time had passed, and the group decided it was a good time to wrap up their stream for the day.

“Well then, that concludes today’s live stream. I appreciate thy dedication in watching us this entire time.”

The viewers, having witnessed their trials, offered a mix of encouragement and sympathy. But, of course, some had other priorities…

Crim froze upon reading that question. Her face twisted in frustration—she just wanted to stop and go home.

“The next part, huh? Hmm… Who’s to say? Actually, why can’t this just be the end? Or rather… I want to stop here!”

“Ugh… Fine, fine! We’ll come back here after our trip is over. ‘Till then!”

Crim relented, clearly annoyed by the viewers’ persistence. Her words were met with supportive(?) replies. With that, everyone from Lua Cheia returned to the real world.

Everyone there had definitely logged out…

◇◇◇

A few hours later that same day, deep into the night, in a different part of the Submerged City’s first floor…

“Hahh… hahh… How many did they get?!”
“I-I don’t know! Someone opened fire on us out of nowhere. I didn’t see anyone else make it…”

It had all happened in an instant.

They were a guild returning to their campsite, carrying valuable loot, when bullets of light rained down on them. The shots came from so far away that the shooter was impossible to spot, yet every hit landed with perfect precision.

Their leader was paralyzed with fear when two of his men were struck down, and in a panic, he ordered everyone to scatter and try to reach the camp on their own. Now, after running for what felt like an eternity, he realized he hadn’t seen anyone—not even a shadow of his comrades.

More disturbingly, it wasn’t just his team. For some reason, the entire area felt empty—eerily so, like it had been swept clean.

Panting heavily, the leader ducked into an alley, leaning against the cold stone wall to catch his breath. His last remaining companion slumped beside him, struggling to make sense of what had just occurred.

They sat in silence, the only sound their labored breathing.

“…Ghuh…”

A low, guttural noise broke the silence—it came from his friend. But the man didn’t say anything more.

“…Hey!”

The leader’s voice trembled as he called out, but no reply came. His friend remained motionless, back pressed against the wall. Something felt wrong.

Heart pounding, the leader leaned closer—and that’s when he saw it. A sharp blade protruded from his companion’s mouth, pinning him lifelessly to the wall.

“…Hiee..?!”

Panic overtook him, and he stumbled backward. Through a cracked window in the wall, he saw something—or someone—on the other side. Glowing golden eyes gleamed in the darkness, flickering with blue fire that danced ominously around the figure.

“Wha… AHHHHH!!”

All pretense of composure abandoned, the leader sprinted aimlessly through the deserted streets of the Submerged City, his only thought to escape.

He needed to reach the campsite, secure the loot his friends had left behind, and log out from this nightmare. But just as he thought he had a chance, his feet froze mid-step.

Something—or someone—was approaching from around the corner ahead. The sound of light footsteps echoed, soft and deliberate, as if the person moved with an elegant, measured gait. The steps were too gentle for a large person—it had to be someone small.

Swallowing hard, the leader cautiously peeked around the corner.

What he saw was both familiar and terrifying. Standing there was a girl with delicate features, her white hair and skin practically glowing in the dim light. It was a face he knew well—a face that haunted his thoughts, for he was a devoted fan.

“D-Ditzy Lord?”

The sight of her filled him with fleeting hope.

She was a kind Demon Lord, one known for her strength and compassion—a beacon of salvation even in this twisted nightmare.

Relief washed over him as he let out a shaky breath. But then… something felt off.

Wait… Had she always been surrounded by those toxic purple flames?
And what were those strange, glowing marks all over her skin?
Am I seeing things, or is she aiming her scythe at me?

It was then that the horrifying realization struck him.

Now that I think about it, wasn’t it Lycoris and Hinagiku who just killed all of my friends?

“Ah…ahh…”

There’s no…hope…

His mind shattered under the weight of despair. Accepting his fate, the leader stood frozen as the scythe sliced cleanly through his neck.