Midnight.
Fenric appeared in the Samsara Space on time.
After checking his contact list and confirming that Aurora hadn't arrived yet, he headed straight for the Samsara Tower Mall.
He needed to prepare for a bold plan in the upcoming "Venom" dungeon.
As he walked into the center of the mall, a series of holographic projection screens flickered to life around him.
Opening the item catalog, Fenric searched for specific types of equipment—items capable of producing flames or generating high-decibel noise.
To his surprise, he actually found something.
Special Item: Enchant Whistle
Emits a high-decibel sound that causes auditory hallucinations in enemies. Highly effective against sound-sensitive targets.
Price: 8,300 Samsara Points
Fenric's eyes lit up.
This item would be extremely effective against symbiotes.
However... the price was outrageous!
"Seriously? A whistle costs this much? The Samsara Tower Mall really knows how to rob people blind!"
There was no way he'd burn that many points just to clear a single dungeon.
Fortunately, the mall always offered a compromise. For every permanent item, there was usually a cheaper, disposable version available.
Sure enough, Fenric soon found it.
Special Item: Enchant Whistle (One-Time Use)
Emits a high-decibel sound that causes auditory hallucinations in enemies. Highly effective against sound-sensitive targets.
Price: 1,150 Samsara Points
Note: After use, the whistle loses its enchantment and becomes a regular whistle within ten days.
Ten days?
More than enough.
Fenric chuckled and clicked Buy.
A moment later, the whistle appeared in his personal inventory.
Next, he searched for items that could produce flames—but the results were disappointing.
All he could find was something labeled:
Special Item: Infinite Energy Ignition Machine
...That sounded like a fancy name for a lighter.
An unlimited-use lighter. It never needed fuel and could ignite endlessly.
But what good would a tiny flame do against a symbiote?
"What am I going to do, poke it to death with a lighter?" Fenric scoffed. "That thing would laugh itself into a coma."
Leaving the Samsara Tower Mall, Fenric noticed Aurora was finally online.
He immediately initiated a video call.
"Shura? You're the one calling me? That's rare," Aurora said, appearing in the video feed. "What's going on?"
Fenric smiled. "I do need something. Are you free right now?"
"I just log in every day to check things out. Of course I'm free."
"Then come meet me at the tea house, Room 2217. I want to discuss something with you."
Tea House – Room 2217
"Take a seat. I've already ordered your favorite, Calming tea," said Fenric, gesturing toward the table.
Aurora entered with a smile. "So, what's the matter? Just tell me~"
Fenric nodded. "Alright. I called you here because I want to propose a collaboration."
"Oh?" Aurora Morwyn perked up immediately.
The man in front of her—Shura—was a top-tier player recognized by all the major factions.
Every time he entered a dungeon, it was either a crushing victory or a brutal slaughter.
If someone like him wanted to cooperate, it must be something big.
"Shura, what kind of cooperation? Don't tell me... you've finally decided to join us?" she asked excitedly.
Fenric chuckled and shook his head. "I prefer my freedom. I don't like being bound by organizations. More precisely, I want to collaborate with your cousin this time."
He leaned forward slightly.
"Tonight, I'm heading into the fourth-level dungeon, Venom. If your cousin joins me, I can't promise a top-tier evaluation, but she'll definitely complete the mission without a hitch."
Aurora's eyes sparkled.
A smart girl like her immediately cut to the chase.
"Shura, what's the price?"
Talking to intelligent people always saved time.
Fenric grinned. "You know that symbiotes are afraid of fire, right? I'm currently short on an item that can unleash large-scale flames. Do you think your cousin can provide something like that?"
Of course, while he said "your cousin," this request was clearly aimed at Aurora herself.
After all, what kind of newbie on the Fourth Stage would have access to rare items?
Aurora paused for a moment, thinking.
"I'm not sure about permanent fire-breathing props," she admitted, "but I can definitely get you a one-time-use version. Will that work?"
"Oh? What kind of item?" Fenric asked with interest.
She thought for a bit before replying, "It's called the Enchanted Flamethrower. It has limited magic fuel inside and can last a few days."
That was nearly identical to the whistle he had just purchased.
"Its what I want!" Fenric grinned.
A permanent fire-breathing item would've been akin to having a fire-based ability—far too valuable to ask for. He didn't expect to get one anyway.
Aurora smiled. "Give me an hour. I'll get it."
"No problem."
Once she left, Fenric remained seated in the tea room, waiting patiently.
Real World – Capital City
In a dimly lit antique room, a woman appeared out of thin air.
She stood over 1.7 meters tall, with long legs that seemed to go on forever. Her features were sharp, with sword-shaped eyebrows and bright, star-like eyes.
Most notably, she exuded the aura of a dominant Onee-san—powerful and composed.
This was the true form of Aurora Morwyn, real name Vivienne.
After materializing in the real world, she immediately picked up her phone and dialed her cousin.
"Hello? Cousin?" came a sleepy, feminine voice on the other end.
"Yuhan, you're still sleeping? Get up and log into the Samsara Space!"
"Ugh... Cousin, can't I have five more minutes? I gamed all day. I'm exhausted…"
Aurora chuckled and scolded, "Lazy girl. Haven't you always wanted to clear the fourth-level dungeon? Well, I found someone to take you through it tonight!"
"What?!!" The voice immediately sharpened, suddenly wide awake. "Really? Who?"
"It's your idol—Shura."
As soon as she said it, a loud, excited scream nearly broke the speaker:
"WAAAAAHHH!!!"
"Cousin, you're the best!!"
Aurora rolled her eyes. "I'll give you one minute to get dressed. Move it."
"No need! I'll be ready in 30 seconds!! Bye!"
After hanging up, Aurora shook her head in exasperation, then smiled.
She had practically raised her cousin. The two had shared many hardships, even life-and-death moments, and their bond was unshakable.