"So, you're the one who framed Livio and his group," Valens said, pacing around Zelen, who stood frozen inside the royal chamber.
Zelen dropped to his knees, his body trembling as if he had been thrown into a freezer in the dead of winter. "Sir, please….... give me one more chance. I swear, I won't make the same mistake again."
Valens knelt beside him, lifting Zelen by the shoulder. "Good. Thanks to you, we now have a lead on what's inside the dungeon. A mystery that had never been solved is finally within our grasp. And because of your foolishness, we now have access to countless dungeons."
Zelen's tears ceased. He took a shaky breath.
"You're one of the higher-ups now. Be proud of yourself." Valens patted his shoulder.
Zelen's heart skipped a beat. He wanted to smile, but his lips wouldn't move. He wanted to grasp Valens' hand, but his fingers remained frozen.
"Now, go and enjoy your night." Valens turned and walked out of the throne room.
A slow chuckle escaped Zelen's lips. "Ha…... ha-ha-haaaa...…." His laughter echoed through the grand chamber as he clutched the cold stone floor.
"Yes, finally....… Just watch, Ethan. I won't let you leave in peace."
Outside, near the palace fountain, Ethan, Livio, and Oliver sat around a campfire.
The flames flickered, casting shadows on their faces as they stared into the fire, lost in thought. In their minds, they could still see their friends—laughing, teasing each other, sharing moments that now felt like a lifetime ago.
"Don't you want to rest?" Ethan broke the silence.
"The same could be asked of you," Oliver replied, tossing another piece of wood into the fire.
Ethan let out a quiet sigh. "It doesn't feel right to rest anymore."
Livio looked up from the flames. "Ethan, do you think we can save our friends? And everyone else who died after getting the Neelam?"
Ethan stretched his hands toward the fire for warmth. "I don't know. But most of the top players are here for the same reason. They all want the Neelam. No one really knows how it works."
A somber silence settled between them.
Oliver glanced down at his palms. "After we go our separate ways…... will we ever meet again?"
"We can still meet in the real world. Oliver and I have already reached the level required to travel between the game world and reality," Ethan said, looking at Livio.
"Don't worry," Livio reassured them. "I'm at Level 32. Once I create my own ability, I'll reach the required level in no time."
Oliver offered a suggestion. "We can stay in touch using a bird."
"But that only works if we know each other's locations," Ethan pointed out. "That won't always be possible."
"Then what should we do?" Livio asked, his voice calm yet firm.
"Maybe we should…...." Oliver's words were cut short by a deafening noise coming from the army castle.
A chorus of howls.....like a thousand starving wolves—filled the air. Birds scattered, taking flight in panic.
"What's going on?" Ethan shot to his feet.
Oliver stood as a cold, smooth breeze swirled around him. "Let me take a look."
"What are you...?" Livio started, but Ethan stopped him.
A moment later, Oliver turned back to them, sweat forming on his brow. "This is bad, you guys."
"What happened?" Ethan and Livio asked in unison.
Oliver slowly sank to the ground. "Zelen…... he's been promoted to a higher rank."
NOTE:
The hierarchy system is structured as follows:
King – The supreme ruler at the top.
Four Generals – Directly under the King, serving as his highest-ranking commanders.
Eight Elite Guards – A select group entrusted with the generals and enforcing his will.
Twelve Higher-Ups – The next tier of authority, overseeing various operations under the elite guards.
A heavy silence followed.
"This is really, really bad….." Livio's face darkened.
"We need to finish our mission as soon as possible," Ethan said, gripping Livio's shoulder. "He's going to cause a lot of trouble."
"What can we do?" Livio asked.
Oliver stood up, a serious look on his face. "I'll keep an eye on them. Ethan, teach Livio how to awaken his ability. I think we have…... only a day left."
Ethan narrowed his eyes. "How can you tell?"
Oliver exhaled. "Since he just got promoted, he'll likely celebrate with his comrades and hounds tonight. It's just a hunch, though…..." He lifted into the air, his body weightless.
"Hey, how did he even hear them?" Livio turned to Ethan.
"He can hear the vibrations in the air within a hundred-meter radius," Ethan replied, watching Oliver disappear into the night.
Livio clenched his fists. "That's incredible....… I need to create an ability just as amazing. I think I've figured it out—I just need time to refine it." With newfound determination, he headed to his room.
The fire slowly dimmed, its embers flickering as the first light of dawn crept over the horizon.
"Where's Oliver?" Livio asked Ethan as they stood in the training grounds.
A parrot circled overhead.
"Did you forget?" Ethan's gaze remained fixed on the waterfall nearby.
Livio scratched his head. "Right...… So what should I do?"
Ethan simply pointed toward the waterfall.
Livio sat beneath the rushing water, his legs crossed in sukhasana, concentrating. Ethan watched over him from a nearby rock.
"At this point, reaching the core to make a wish should be easy for him," Ethan mused. "But the stronger the ability, the harder it is to wield...… I wonder what he'll wish for."
The roar of the waterfall faded from Livio's perception.
Darkness enveloped him...endless, suffocating. The sensation of sound, space, and even his own body vanished. He floated in the abyss.
Then, something changed. His body felt weightless. The darkness stretched infinitely, yet he was no longer lost in it.
A voice echoed within his mind.
"What do you wish for, boy?"
Livio gazed at his own reflection, staring back at him.
The world around him cracked like shattered glass. A slow smile formed on his lips.
"Welcome back," Ethan greeted as Livio emerged from the water, dripping wet. He held out Livio's clothes.
"Thanks." Livio took them and began dressing.
Ethan leaned in with curiosity. "So….... what did you get?"
Livio whispered something, his voice barely audible.
A gentle breeze passed between them, rustling their hair.