The guild hall was nestled deep inside the tower's root system—ancient wood twisted into walls, pulsing faintly with mana. Candles flickered along the walls like fireflies, casting eerie shadows as the trio followed the hooded NPC deeper inside.
Seme glanced over her shoulder. "Anyone else think it's weird we're getting a summons right after a boss kill?"
Drathan shrugged. "Either we're getting recruited… or assassinated."
Kenshin grinned. "I'm good with both."
They entered a wide, circular room lined with weapon racks and stained glass. At its center stood a massive war table, glowing softly. Behind it stood a woman in black and crimson robes—her silver hair braided down her back, eyes sharp as obsidian.
"Welcome, champions," she said. "I'm Aveline, Guildmaster of the Crimson Fangs."
Drathan leaned on the table. "Let me guess. You want us to do something dangerous and morally ambiguous for minimal pay."
"Smart mouth," Aveline said, smirking. "But not wrong."
She tapped the table. A holographic map of the tower appeared, highlighting several deep floors.
"We've detected interference in the lower levels. Something's waking up — and it isn't friendly. We need someone expendable—"
"Experienced," Kenshin corrected.
"—to investigate," Aveline continued, unfazed. "You'll be compensated, of course. Gear, guild access, fast travel. Even… event shortcuts."
Seme's eyebrow twitched. "What kind of interference?"
"Magical," Aveline replied. "Old. Not native to the tower. Something… summoned."
Drathan folded his arms. "So what you're saying is—there's loot?"
"And possibly death," Aveline added.
"Sounds like a Tuesday," Kenshin muttered.
Seme sighed. "Fine. We'll check it out. But if it's another monkey boss, I'm out."
Aveline smiled and handed over a glowing crystal. "This will unlock the shortcut. But be warned—only one use."
The trio stepped outside the guild hall, the jungle's ambient buzz returning as the door shut behind them. The crystal pulsed in Seme's hand, its glow warm and ominous.
"Shortcut to where, exactly?" she asked, eyeing the crystal.
"Probably something dark and ancient," Drathan muttered. "So, y'know, our usual vacation spot."
Kenshin glanced at the nearby portal stone. "Do we use it now?"
Drathan shook his head. "Nope. We resupply, hit the market, and get intel first. We don't even know what's down there."
"I do like being alive," Seme admitted.
"Same," Kenshin agreed. "Mostly for food reasons."
As they walked toward the vendor square, the jungle path slowly opened into a bustling rest area. NPCs and players milled about—trading gear, reforging weapons, and testing new builds in nearby spar zones. The trio passed a street vendor roasting glowing fruit skewers, and Drathan paused just long enough to swipe one with a grin.
"I still say this game's best feature is the snacks," he said between bites.
Seme rolled her eyes. "You say that about every game. Even the horror ones."
"Snacks are universal," Drathan replied.
They continued on toward the city's inner plaza, weaving between players shouting item prices and guild recruiters waving banners. The festive atmosphere contrasted the tense feeling that still lingered after Aveline's warning.
"I wonder what kind of 'summoned' thing she meant," Kenshin murmured.
"Hopefully something we can kill," Seme muttered.
"Preferably with a cool drop," Drathan added.
They stopped at a fountain where a few familiar players from earlier were nursing wounds and comparing loot drops. Kenshin tossed one of them a spare potion. "You'll need that more than me."
One of the players nodded gratefully. "If you're going where we think you're going... good luck."
Drathan tilted his head. "You know something?"
"They say there's a floor that's... glitched. Like, the terrain bends. NPCs loop their dialogue. And no one makes it past it without... changing."
Seme's grip on the crystal tightened slightly. "Sounds like home."
They moved on, passing through the market district and picking up a few supplies—elixirs, status-curing herbs, and a couple of cheap teleport scrolls. Drathan pocketed a strange shard labeled "???" and smirked. "I love unlabeled mystery loot."
Finally, as they made their way toward the teleporter outpost, the game's sky flickered slightly—a graphical glitch like static on an old TV. None of them noticed it. But Drathan paused, frowning.
"…Did the sky just blink?"
Seme turned. "What?"
Drathan shook his head. "Nothing. Must be lag."
They moved on, unaware that this 'glitch' was the first sign of something much bigger coming their way.
Drathan slipped his hands into his coat pockets, casting one last glance at the jungle behind them.
"Yeah," he muttered, "this is going to be one hell of a patch."