Alan frowned, confused by Doris's words. "How are you going to get us there? We're listening," he said quickly. Time was slipping away, and at this point, he couldn't afford to ignore any chance of survival.
"Well, umm… my blade has a teleportation ability," Doris said shyly. "I can transfer a number of people—including myself—from one place to another."
Then she lifted her head, desperation clear in her eyes. "But the problem is… I need to see the destination first before my sword ability can activate."
Iris stood deep in thought, trying to figure out how they could reach the Second Stage when their only hope required a clear visual to activate.
Meanwhile, Alan quickly opened his interface and brought up the GPS map, displaying the destination. "Can you use this to get us there?" he asked, his tone calm despite the urgency beneath it.
"Well, umm… I haven't tried—" Doris began, but Iris cut her off sharply, turning to Alan.
"What do you think you're doing?" she snapped. "Telling her to rely on a GPS map to teleport us? Are you out of your mind?"
"I have to believe there's a way to avoid dying," Alan said firmly. "Earlier, Doris said she only needs to imagine the place. So what if it doesn't have to be a detailed image? What if even a simple map—with dots and paths—is enough?"
Iris let out a long sigh. "Fine… go ahead and try. Let's just hope we don't end up dead," she muttered, stepping back to lean against a tree.
Doris lifted her blade, activating her skill:
[ Blade Skill: Instant Teleport Activated ]
[ Attempt Left: 1 ]
She focused on the map, imagining their destination as clearly as she could—but nothing happened. Her grip loosened. "I'm sorry… I don't think it's going to work."
Alan's frustration rose instantly, tightening his chest—only to worsen as another notification flashed before him:
[ 1 minute Left to Ascend to the Second Stage ]
"We have less than a minute, Saint… what do we do?" Iris said, her voice tense with unease. "Damn it…"
Alan forced himself to stay calm. He sat down on the ground, crossing his legs as he shut out the chaos and began thinking deeply.
"What is he doing now…?" Iris muttered, finally lying flat on the volcanic floor. "What a useless way to die."
Doris, however, was frozen in shock. Saint…? Iris had called him that. Is he… the Saint? One of the top ten players from the real world? The realization hit hard, and guilt followed immediately—remembering how she had insulted him earlier.
Time slipped by, each second tightening the pressure. Alan's thoughts raced. An image… she needs an image… Think… think, damn it!
Then it clicked.
"That's it," Alan said, rising to his feet, a sharp glint in his eyes. "A perfect ace."
Alan immediately pulled up his interface and dialed the number Tuna had given him at the start of the first floor.
[ 📞 No: 22-77 ]
[ Call ] [ Message ]
He pressed call without hesitation. "Pick up… pick up…" he muttered under his breath, his eyes locked on the timer.
[ 20 seconds Left to Ascend to the Second Stage ]
Twenty seconds…? This is torture, Alan thought, his jaw tightening. Doris was already panicking, barely able to stand as her body shook uncontrollably.
Iris, on the other hand, lay still on the ground, her expression calm—almost accepting. "So this is it… we're done," she murmured.
Then, after what felt like an eternity, the call finally connected.
< Hey Alan, glad to hear you're alive and well. What's good? >
"I'm about to die… and… I'm not well at the moment. Tuna, where are you right now?" Alan's voice trembled as his eyes flicked to the countdown. His body shook violently with panic.
< Ohh, I'm at the Third Stage with my guild members. How can I help? Are you hurt or something? >
"Send me a picture of the Third Stage, quick! I only have…" His gaze shot to the timer, heart hammering. "…ten seconds to survive. Please, do me this favor."
< Alright, alright, I'll do it now. Hold on a second—I'll send it via message. >
Before Alan could respond, the call ended abruptly.
Alan stared at his screen, eyes wide and unblinking, whispering to himself, "Come on… come on… please!" In an instant, the picture arrived. He bolted toward Doris. "Hey, can you use this?" he shouted.
"I'll try," Doris replied, her hands trembling uncontrollably. She gritted her teeth, focusing every ounce of her mind on her blade, and activated her skill once more.
[ 5 seconds Left to Ascend to the Second Stage ]
"Damn it!" Alan screamed, his voice cracking. "I can't die now… this can't be it!"
[ Blade Skill: Instant Teleport Activated ]
[ Attempt Left: 0 ]
Her blade reacted instantly. Its crystal glowed with blinding intensity, radiating outward and engulfing the entire area in light.
[ 0 seconds Left to Ascend to the Second Stage ]
[ You've Successfully Ascended to the Third Stage ]
Alan's eyes snapped open, taking in the new surroundings. The place was blindingly bright, like the sun itself, yet winter had painted everything in pristine white. Snow blanketed the trees and mountains, glistening under the light. "We're… alive?" Alan whispered, relief washing over him as tears streaked down his face. "We made it!"
Iris rose from the snowy ground, disbelief etched across her features. She scanned the landscape, exhaling slowly.
"Never thought we'd actually make it out of that one," she said, her voice calm but laced with awe.
Doris couldn't hide her excitement, her face bright with joy at making it through. But for Alan, the moment stirred a darker memory—the brutal penalty phase and everything he had done to survive. His relief was tempered by caution; the pristine winter landscape felt like a warning, a red flag he couldn't ignore.
Ahead of them, beneath a massive tree, the Lion Heart Guild had already gathered. Members were talking, eating, and sketching out new strategies, with their formidable Guild Master at the center. "Isn't that your guild, Death Queen? The strongest one," Alan muttered under his breath.
Doris's eyes lit up, thrilled at the chance to meet them, but Iris remained unmoved. Despite it being her own guild, her expression revealed no interest in approaching. "I'll join your guild," Doris said eagerly, determination in her voice. "I know they'll accept me…"
Before Doris could respond, Iris interrupted sharply, her voice cold and unwavering. "Don't bother. They don't accept weaklings. Just stay close, Saint. He's a better protector than I could ever be."
Alan's eyes narrowed, sensing the sharp edge in her words—there was clearly more than truth here. He had never seen Iris this bitter, this annoyed. Trying to ease the tension, he said to Doris, "Come on, why don't you team up with me for a while? It'll be better that way."
"No thanks," Doris said immediately, her tone sharp. "I can't team up with a death weight. I'm sorry."
Her words struck Alan deep, but he forced himself to stay composed, hiding the sting.
Without another word or glance, Iris walked away, not even a wave or a farewell. It was as if they had been enemies for years. Doris followed quietly behind her, joining the Lion Heart Guild master, who had been waving graciously ever since he saw them. Alan lingered a moment, watching them, still stunned at how cold Iris seemed toward her own guild. Are they bad people? he wondered, but quickly dismissed the thought and moved on.
Back at the Lion Heart Guild's resting point, Iris approached with a chillingly calm expression. "Welcome back, Iris. Hope you got us enough crystals to trade later," the guild master said with a hearty laugh, his eyes sparkling with amusement.
"Yeah, I did…" Iris muttered, her voice distant, not feeling quite like herself. She moved silently and sat beneath the tree, leaving Doris to approach the guild master.
Before Doris could reach him, a man in a knight's uniform stepped forward, a long battle axe strapped to his back. A scar ran along the corner of his mouth, giving him a menacing look. "What do you want, rat? You're not allowed to speak to him," he said coldly. The master didn't intervene, simply walking away to attend to other matters.
Doris, still excited and unaware of the tension, tried again. "I would like to join the Lion Heart Guild, please," she said earnestly. The man's icy glare immediately crushed her enthusiasm. "What's your rank?" he asked sharply. "I… I'm Rank B, sir. I'm not yet powerful enough, but I promise I'll be useful," she pleaded, desperation trembling in her voice.
"We don't accept weaklings in our guild. Get the hell out of here before I do something rash," the man sneered, a cruel grin spreading across his face. The other guild members erupted into laughter, pointing and mocking Doris without mercy. Iris stayed silent, her eyes cold as she watched the scene unfold, not intervening.
Doris tried to back away, but another member shoved her to the ground. "You rat" he spat near her face. Soon, others joined in, pelting her with small rocks, each strike stinging and bruising her. Some hated the idea but couldn't do a thing. The guild master and Iris remained unmoved, indifferent to the abuse.
Tears mingled with blood on her lips as she cried out, "Why am I being mistreated for being weak? Iris… save me!" But no help came. Gritting her teeth, Doris endured, her body trembling with pain and anger.
Doris's life points began to plummet rapidly as several players attacked her—some slashing with blades, others merely touching to inflict pain. As she struggled to rise, a player thrust a knife toward her face, screaming, "Kill her! Kill her! Kill her!" The chaos was deafening, yet the guild master remained indifferent… until silence fell. Iris's eyes widened in disbelief. What is he…
The master's gaze shifted to Alan. One of Alan's hands was pierced by a knife, the other holding Doris steady, yet he stood unflinching. His eyes narrowed sharply at the guild master.
"Who are you?" the master demanded, drawing his sword and pointing it at Alan.
"I am… Alan," he said firmly, "Mr. Saint. And there's one thing I'll teach you all—do not mess with what's mine. Or you'll die."
"Saint…" the master murmured, a faint smirk forming. "This… will be interesting."