As David jogged towards the direction where he felt the presence of Lillian, he gave Asahi a thumbs-up, who remained at a distance as a discreet observer. As David approached Lillian, he greeted her with a friendly smile, "Hey, what a coincidence! We meet again."
Lillian stopped jogging as well and returned the smile, though it seemed forced and tinged with nervousness. "Oh, hi," she replied softly.
David tried to strike up a conversation, "I hope you're doing well. I didn't get the chance to properly introduce myself yesterday. I'm David."
Lillian nodded, "Yes, I remember."
Before David could inquire further, she quickly interjected, "I'm sorry, I have to go. It was nice meeting you again," and she hurriedly resumed her jogging, leaving David standing there, slightly perplexed.
As David returned to Asahi, he shared his encounter with Lillian. Asahi, using his own God's Eyes skill, had attempted to check her status discreetly while jogging behind David. However, he shook his head in disbelief, "No, man. You were right. Her status is completely invisible. There should have been at least some information, but there's nothing."
David's eyebrows furrowed in bewilderment, "This is really strange. I can see everyone else's status just fine, but with her, it's like she's a ghost."
Asahi couldn't resist a playful jab, "So, is she someone that you're after?"
David chuckled and replied, "No, it's not like that. I'm just intrigued by her, that's all."
They decided to head back to the apartment, mulling over the enigma of Lillian and the anomaly of her hidden status.
Asahi's departure was shrouded in the silent embrace of midnight. With a 2 AM flight to Las Vegas, he bid farewell to David and made his way to the airport. Before parting, he shared his plans to splurge on casinos and hookers and get wasted, and also promising to reunite with everyone on the agreed date once they had all arrived.
The morning sun gently kissed David awake, and as he stretched in bed, his thoughts drifted to the events of the previous night. Suddenly, his phone rang, interrupting the tranquility of the morning. Curious about the unknown number, he answered the call.
"Hello?" David spoke, his voice filled with curiosity.
"Good morning! This is Sarah from Tesla. I'm thrilled to inform you that your car is ready and will be delivered to your location by this evening," the saleswoman on the other end announced with enthusiasm.
David's eyes widened with excitement. "Oh, that's fantastic news! Thank you so much, Sarah. I can't wait to get my hands on it!"
The saleswoman chuckled, "You're welcome, David. We're glad you're excited. Enjoy your new Tesla!"
Hanging up the call, David's heart danced with delight. He couldn't believe he was finally getting his hands on the car he had dreamed of.
With no commitments or shoots on his agenda for the day, he saw an opportunity to relax and take it easy.
As David fell into a deep slumber after having a hearty breakfast, his peaceful sleep was rudely interrupted by a constant stream of alert messages. Groaning, he rubbed his eyes and peered at the warning messages, wondering what could be causing the disturbance.
"Now, what the hell is going on?" he muttered in frustration, annoyance evident in his voice as the system persisted in disturbing his much-needed rest. Blinking away the sleep from his eyes, he glanced at his phone to check the time – it was already 2 PM in the afternoon, and he had slept for nearly three hours.
He checked the warning messages that the system kept buzzing with, and with a sigh, he commanded, "Show me the message."
A holographic message appeared before his eyes, and as he read its contents, his heart sank.
[ Your companion Luna has encountered a dangerous encounter in the dungeon raid, which is above her level. She is on the verge of death. ]
What the fuck!"
David exclaimed in shock and disbelief. Luna was his close companion in the fantasy world, and the thought of her being in such grave danger alarmed him greatly. He quickly tapped on the message, trying to find more information, but another urgent message popped up, diverting his attention.
It was an emergency quest – a call to action that required immediate attention and assistance. As he read the details of the quest, he realized that he had to save Luna from the dire situation she was in.
***********************************************************
[Quest Name]: Rescue Luna
[Description]: Luna, your loyal companion, has encountered a dangerous encounter in the perilous dungeon. She's fighting for her life against overwhelming odds. You must swiftly come to her aid and save her from certain death!
[Penalty]: Failure to rescue Luna in time will result in her permanent demise and the skill to teleports in world will be completely removed.
***********************************************************
"Damn it!"
David exclaimed, his heart pounding in his chest. Without a second thought, he activated the transport skill that would take him back to the fantasy world.
With a surge of energy, the portal opened before him, and without hesitation, he stepped through, leaving the world behind. Instantly, he materialized in the heart of the dungeon, surrounded by dimly lit stone walls and eerie silence. The stench of decay and blood filled the air, a grim reminder of the danger that lurked within.
Luna, his loyal companion, was there, but she appeared on the verge of losing consciousness. Her body was covered in wounds, and she clung desperately to the weapon David had crafted for her – the Elemental of Life.
As she saw David, her eyes filled with tears, and she whispered, "Master, you came." Her voice was weak, but the relief in her words was palpable.
Without a moment's hesitation, Luna collapsed, and she would have fallen to the ground if David hadn't reacted with lightning speed. He rushed to her side, his heart racing with concern. Time seemed to slow as he held her in his arms, and he knew he had to act quickly to save her.
Behind them, an ominous presence made itself known. It was the S-rank monster, Shadow Lich, a horrifying creature that fed on the life force of its victims. The monster held a staff made of twisted bones, from which it was casting a deadly spell to attack.
Ignoring the looming threat, David focused all his attention on Luna. Gently, he laid her down and channeled his healing magic to mend her injuries temporarily. He couldn't fully heal her in this dire situation, but he needed to ensure she would survive for now.
With Luna's life temporarily secured, David turned his attention to the chaos around him. The dungeon was crawling with summoned monsters, created by the malevolent Shadow Lich. Other adventurer teams that had ventured in were strewn across the floor, defeated and lifeless.
David assessed the situation. The dungeon had initially been a B-rank one, but as he looked around, he realized that the boss monster, the Soul Eater, must have called upon the powerful Shadow Lich to protect itself. This sudden escalation turned the dungeon into an S-rank nightmare.
He felt a mix of frustration and determination. This situation was not what he had expected, and he knew that Luna's survival was a stroke of luck due to the powerful Elemental of Life he had crafted for her. Despite its legendary status, Luna was still unable to fully unleash its potential.
In the midst of chaos, David's anger burned hot as he turned to face the menacing Shadow Lich. The Lich, feeling the threat of David's presence, began summoning powerful undead monsters, each nearly as formidable as an A-rank creature. The dungeon trembled with the dark magic pulsing through its depths.
Without hesitation, the Shadow Lich unleashed its necromantic powers, and multiple undead monstrosities emerged from the darkness. David's eyes narrowed, his resolve strengthening. He couldn't let the Lich continue its reign of terror, especially not with Luna's life hanging in the balance.
Drawing upon the blessings of the God of Darkness that he had received, David melded with the shadows, vanishing from sight. In a flash of darkness, he appeared behind the unsuspecting Lich. As the Lich turned in horror to find his elusive foe, David whistled softly, and before the Lich could react, his head was violently wrenched from his body.
The Lich, being undead, didn't emit cries of pain but instead screeched in torment. However, it wasn't over yet. David knew that the Lich's power was derived from a cursed necromancy book and a wicked staff.
With swift precision, he used a powerful fire spell to incinerate the cursed items. As the book burned, a ripple of energy coursed through the dungeon, and the summoned undead began to crumble to ash, dissipating along with their creator.
[ Congratulations you have completed the emergency quest Rescue Luna ]
The emergency quest was complete. The danger had been eradicated, and the once formidable dungeon now seemed eerily silent. A message flashed before David's eyes, congratulating him on his success.
But there was no time to celebrate. David turned his attention to Luna, who lay unconscious and injured. Gently cradling her in his arms, he made his way through the dungeon, gathering the bodies of Luna's fallen companions. With the portal's help, he stored the deceased adventurers for a proper burial late