Morning light crept across Verdant Village as the party stepped through the wooden gates. The air smelled of warm bread, herbs, and sun-warmed stone. Vendors opened stands. Players gathered in groups—bartering, chatting, comparing loot.
Riley exhaled slowly.
Today mattered.
Today they would prepare for what came next.
Luna stretched in his arms, blinking sleepy silver eyes. Lumi sat on his shoulder like a smug guardian star, chirping a greeting to anyone who stared too long.
Aria took a deep breath through her nose.
"Smell that? That's the scent of progress. And capitalism. And possibly disappointed adventurers."
Dot clicked, pointing at a sign that obviously said Potion Shop.
Hayley hugged Bramble tightly. "We did good yesterday… Luna leveled fast."
Sofia smiled. "She's growing beautifully. And Lumi seems… proud."
Lumi lifted his chin even higher, confirming he was indeed the Alpha Spirit, king of tiny stars.
Riley laughed under his breath.
"Alright. Today's plan is simple. We level everyone to seven, gather materials, and—"
"WE SPEND A WHOLE DAY WITH KIPP," Aria declared dramatically. "THE CRAFTING GREMLIN NEEDS US."
Riley nodded.
"Yeah. He's going to need a lot more ingredients before Day Seven. We need enough Mirage Draughts for the full eight-man squad."
Hayes crossed his arms. "So we need at least sixteen."
Hayley blinked. "Sixteen?! Just for safety?"
"Minimum," Hayes corrected. "We don't know how hard the dungeon will hit."
Riley didn't say it aloud…but he remembered.
He remembered exactly how hard it would hit.
Small damage.
Constant chip-damage.
Bleeds.
Poisoned spores.
Soft projectiles that applied stacking scratches.
It wasn't lethal one-by-one.
It was lethal cumulatively.
One healer wouldn't be able to keep up.
But a team on 15% boosted evasion with the Mirage Draught?
Survivable.
He wasn't cheating.
He wasn't breaking the game.
He was just… gently guiding fate.
Sofia's voice pulled him from thought.
"So we need Glowcaps, Vine Thread, water, Hollow Blooms… and anything else Kipp finds useful."
Riley nodded.
"And while we're at it, Luna needs to reach level seven. That's when her support abilities open up."
Aria squinted at Luna.
"Level seven? That's when she learns—what? 'Cosmic Temper Tantrum'? 'Death by Glitter'?"
Luna chirped, affronted.
Lumi puffed up, as though saying, "Apologize to the princess."
Aria put her hands up.
"Fine! I'm SORRY, Princess Starlight."
Hayes coughed. "Before we start… we should also begin scouting for allies. We need eight for the dungeon."
Sofia hesitated.
"Do we… really need strangers?"
Hayley nodded gently.
"Kipp needs the potion team. We need ice and fire spirits for the dungeon. And… well, more people means more fun."
Riley swallowed.
"Yeah… but it's not just extra people. We need the right ones. Fire affinity to burn spores. Ice affinity for the enrage phase."
Hayes added, "And at least level five."
Aria scoffed.
"That cuts out half of Verdant Village. Everyone is level three."
Hayley tilted her head.
"…No. Look. Over there."
Three players stood at the village fountain.
A girl with long black hair and a soft red glow at her side—a fire cat spirit curling around her ankles.
A tall boy with a tiger cub pawing at his boots.
And a quiet player with an icy blue husky spirit whose breath fogged the air.
They were young.
Bright-eyed.
Eager.
And each held wooden weapons they clearly hadn't upgraded.
Sofia whispered, "They look… only level four."
Hayes frowned. "They won't survive the dungeon."
Aria squinted at them.
"They look like kids trying to join a soccer team and getting rejected."
Riley exhaled slowly.
"I saw two groups turn them down yesterday. They're strong spirits—but the players are new."
Hayley's expression softened.
"Oh… poor things."
Sofia pressed her hands together.
"They deserve a chance."
Aria grinned wildly.
"THEN LET'S ADOPT THEM!"
"No," Hayes said.
"Yes," Aria repeated.
Riley smiled faintly.
"Let's focus on ingredients first. But after lunch… we'll talk to them."
Three new allies.
Fitting.
Fire Cat.
Tiger.
Ice Husky.
Perfect coverage for the dungeon ahead.
But first—
"Let's see Kipp," Riley said.
The moment they opened the wooden door, a puff of blue smoke blasted out.
Kipp was coughing.
Mossling was dancing in circles with sparks shooting from its leafy head.
"RILEY!!!" Kipp yelled. "I'M INVENTING THINGS!"
Aria rushed forward.
"I LOVE THIS ENERGY. CONTINUE."
Riley laughed.
"We brought the ingredients."
Kipp froze—eyes glowing with reverence.
"You… you got them all?"
Hayley presented the pack like a royal offering.
"All eight Glowcaps, the spores, the water, vine thread…"
Kipp clutched the items like sacred relics.
"You absolute heroes."
He pointed dramatically at his cauldron.
"Behold—THE MIRAGE DRAUGHT!"
Dot inspected the cauldron.
Clicked once.
Approved.
A notification appeared:
NEW ALCHEMY POTION
MIRAGE DRAUGHT Common and Valuable
Effect: +15% Evasion for 15 minutes, slight visual distortion
Dungeon Demand Rating: 5 star (HIGH)
Market Value Current: 8 Coins
Aria screamed.
"THIS IS BASICALLY PRINTING MONEY."
Hayes' eyebrows shot up.
"Wait and this is before the market value goes up when people see how valuable it is?"
Kipp nodded vigorously.
"When the dungeon opens, EVERYONE will want these. We're… we're going to be rich."
Mossling threw a leaf into the air in celebration.
Riley rubbed the back of his neck.
"Let's try to make at least twenty."
Kipp froze.
"T-TWENTY?! Do you want me DEAD?!"
Riley smiled.
"No. I want us prepared."
Aria leaned against the wall.
"Come on, Kipp. You're a botanical king. We believe in you."
Kipp turned red.
"Okay. Fine. I'll do it! FOR THE TEAM!"
While Kipp brewed, the rest moved into the back training field.
The area was quiet—just grass, practice dummies, and a few low-level mobs wandering near the fence.
Riley set Luna on the ground.
"Alright baby… let's get you to level seven."
Luna stood proudly.
Her tail swished.
Her little ears flicked.
She looked ready to conquer the world.
Lumi descended beside her, chest puffed like a tiny general preparing his soldier.
Riley smiled softly.
Alpha.
Beta.
A perfect pair.
"Let's start."
Star Prance grew sharper.
Moonlit Horn became a real attack instead of a clumsy bonk.
Her movements steadied.
Her glow brightened.
Aria narrated every moment like a nature documentary.
"Observe the wild Luna… majestic, deadly, and occasionally tripping over her own paws—OH, THERE SHE GOES."
Dot clicked in laughter.
Sofia kept cheering softly.
Hayley made Bramble demonstrate safe tackles.
Hayes pointed out enemy weak points.
By early afternoon—
DING
> Luna — Level Up! (Lv 6)
Luna — Level Up! (Lv 7)
New Ability Unlocked: Faelight Blessing
A soft wave of shimmering warmth spread from Luna—touching everyone.
Aria froze. Her stats glowed.
"GUYS—GUYS. WE JUST GOT BUFFED BY A BABY DRAGON."
Riley lifted Luna into his arms.
"You did amazing."
Luna chirped proudly, basking in Lumi's approving glow.
His bow pulsed again—
not fully evolving yet—
but close.
As they headed back toward the fountain, Riley motioned to the three kids from earlier.
"After we rest," he said quietly, "we're recruiting them."
Sofia smiled softly.
"They look like they really want to belong somewhere."
Hayley nodded.
"And their spirits… fire, ice, strength. Perfect for the dungeon."
Aria grinned.
"New teammates, more chaos—LET'S GO."
Hayes sighed—but nodded.
"We'll test them. But I agree… they need a group."
Riley exhaled.
This was it.
Day Five was almost over.
Tomorrow they'd finish preparations.
And on Day Seven…
The dungeon would open.
And their fate would begin.