Milla's legs ached as she pushed deeper into the glowing forest.
Purple mist curled around her ankles, climbing higher with every step.
Twisted trees towered above her, their branches almost brushing the sky—or what was left of it.
The forest was alive. She could feel it watching. Breathing. Waiting.
Her heart still raced from her encounter with Eve.exe.
Even though she had survived, her chest still burned from the drained life-force.
"Okay… calm down. Think," Milla whispered to herself.
"First rule: survive. Second rule: understand the rules of this place."
She had learned something important already: the System didn't just watch—you had to play by its rules.
And she had to be fast. Very fast.
---
As she walked, the mist grew thicker.
Strange sounds echoed through the forest.
A low hum, like a thousand voices whispering at once.
Leaves rustled even though there was no wind.
And then—she saw them.
Cards.
Floating in the air. Red and black. Hearts, diamonds, spades, clubs.
They glimmered in the mist like stars. Some spun slowly, some darted like birds.
Milla blinked. "Cards? Really?"
She reached out cautiously.
As her fingers brushed one, the card exploded into tiny glowing fragments, leaving a whispering echo behind:
"Choose… wisely."
Her stomach tightened.
"Choose wisely… choose what?"
Before she could react, a golden text appeared in front of her.
---
[CARD SYSTEM DETECTED]
Each card contains a special ability or trap.
You may collect cards to gain strength.
Caution: Wrong use may cost life-force.
Status: Trial One — Card Challenge.
---
Milla clenched her fists.
So the Wonderland didn't just have Ultimates—it also had card-based challenges.
She glanced around. More cards hovered ahead. Some looked ordinary. Some glowed with red fire or black shadows.
One card floated closer.
A red heart. Glowing softly.
Milla stepped forward.
"Maybe it's safe… maybe it's useful…"
She grabbed it.
Immediately, the card burned into her hand like fire. Pain shot up her arm.
Her vision blurred.
A new screen appeared in front of her.
---
[CARD ACQUIRED: Heart of Flame]
Ability: Fire Burst — Shoots a strong flame from the palm.
Life-Force Cost: Medium
---
Milla gasped. Her hand throbbed, but she felt a surge of power.
"Not bad," she muttered.
"Better than nothing."
She looked around. More cards hovered in the mist.
A black spade glimmered in the shadows. It seemed… alive. Watching. Waiting.
She approached carefully.
"Okay… let's see what you do…"
She reached for it.
The moment her fingers touched the card, the mist roared.
A shadow surged from the spade, taking the shape of a massive black wolf.
Milla screamed.
The wolf lunged. Teeth sharp as daggers, eyes glowing red.
"Okay, Omni-Ability… now!"
Her hands flashed white.
Light burst from her palm, blasting the wolf backward.
It yelped but didn't disappear. The shadow wolf reformed instantly.
The spade card floated, glowing ominously.
---
[WARNING: SHADOW CREATURE DETECTED]
Attack using cards or Omni-Abilities carefully.
Life-Force Drain: High
---
Milla clenched her teeth. She didn't have time to think.
"Fire Burst!"
She threw a stream of flames at the wolf.
It howled, twisting into shadows, then lunged again.
Her heart pounded.
Life-force drained quickly. She felt dizzy.
Then she remembered: she could combine abilities with cards.
"Light Burst… plus Heart of Flame!"
She summoned a bright ball of light in one hand and the Heart of Flame in the other.
Throwing both at the wolf, the explosion of light and fire collided with the shadow.
The wolf let out a high-pitched screech and scattered into black mist.
The spade card fell to the ground, harmless now.
Milla collapsed onto her knees, gasping for breath.
Her chest ached, her vision blurred.
She looked at her hand.
---
[Life-Force Drain: 41%]
---
"Almost half gone… great," Milla muttered.
"I need to be careful."
She took a deep breath and forced herself to stand.
The forest seemed calmer now, but the mist still swirled unnaturally.
Shadows shifted between the trees.
A sound made her jump.
It wasn't a creature this time.
It was a laugh.
A high, sharp laugh, like broken glass.
Milla turned.
Two figures stepped from the mist.
One wore a red cloak, the hood hiding their face. A golden mask reflected the glowing forest.
The other was taller, slender, with long white hair and eyes that glowed faintly green.
Milla's heart raced.
The text appeared again.
---
[CHARACTER DETECTED]
Name: Harlequin Knight
Rank: Ultimate #2
Abilities: Unpredictable attacks, extreme speed, illusion control
Name: Scarlet Thorn
Rank: Ultimate #8
Abilities: Blood magic, rose vines, deadly traps
---
Milla froze. Two Ultimates? Here? Already?
Scarlet Thorn stepped forward, petals swirling around her hands. Red thorns glowed faintly.
"Ah… a visitor," she said, voice smooth but deadly.
"You've already met Eve.exe… and survived. Impressive."
The Harlequin Knight tilted his head.
"Survival is nothing without fun, little girl. Shall we play?"
Milla's hands shook. She gripped the Heart of Flame tightly.
"I… I don't want to fight…"
Scarlet Thorn smiled.
"Do you have a choice?"
The Harlequin Knight raised a hand. Suddenly, cards floated around him. Hearts, spades, diamonds, clubs—hundreds of them spinning, glowing, and sharp as knives.
Milla instinctively jumped backward.
The cards darted toward her like tiny blades.
"Omni-Ability… shield!"
A wall of light formed in front of her.
Some cards hit, some pierced through. She screamed as a few grazed her arm, cutting her skin.
Life-force drained sharply.
---
[Life-Force Drain: 57%]
---
Milla gritted her teeth.
She had to act fast.
She couldn't dodge forever.
"Okay… Heart of Flame, Light Burst… combine!"
A ball of white fire formed in her hands. She threw it at the Harlequin Knight.
He disappeared. The explosion left a hole in the mist.
But then he reappeared behind her.
"This is impossible!" she shouted.
Scarlet Thorn waved her hand. Vines shot from the ground, wrapping around Milla's legs. She struggled, yanking them off.
"No time! I need to move!"
She grabbed a floating card—a red diamond.
Immediately, she felt warmth in her hand.
---
[CARD ACQUIRED: Diamond of Speed]
Ability: Short Burst of Extreme Speed — Move faster than the eye can see.
Life-Force Cost: Medium
---
She activated it. Her body blurred. She dashed past Scarlet Thorn and the Harlequin Knight, weaving through trees at impossible speed.
The Ultimates cursed behind her, but the mist slowed them down.
Milla slowed herself, breathing heavily.
"Okay… I survived that… barely."
She looked at her hand. Cards now hovered nearby, waiting. Some red, some black, some glowing.
She knew the forest held more surprises.
A new text appeared.
---
[TRIAL PROGRESS: 30% COMPLETE]
Hint: Use cards and abilities together. Observe your enemies. Learn their patterns.
---
Milla leaned against a tree, her chest aching.
"Patterns… right. I need to think. I can't just rush into this."
From the shadows, the whisper returned.
"Good… Milla. Survive, and you will see the true power of Wonderland."
A cold shiver ran down her spine.
She looked forward. The path ahead twisted into the deeper forest. Cards floated in the mist, waiting. Shadows shifted, hiding more dangers.
Milla clenched her fists.
She had survived the first encounter.
She had learned something crucial: in this Wonderland, everything was a weapon—including cards.
Her chest burned. Her hands shook.
But one thought kept her moving.
"I will survive… no matter what."
To be continued.....