Dexter exited Sand Worm Oasis riding his mule. He searched his local map for Stella's location but couldn't find the dot indicating her position.
"/help."
[Hi FlyHighLikeAButterfly! What is it this time?]
'Di-did it just change its reply? Damn it, I'm getting distracted.'
"/show me all locations of available dungeons."
His local map updated, adding yellow dots that marked all the dungeons in the zone.
"Damn it, they're all too far from each other…"
After the mule ran to the nearest dungeon, its fatigue piled up, and it eventually lay down.
Dexter had no time to waste and immediately entered the dungeon. He checked his local map again for Stella's dot, but nothing appeared.
"Fuck!"
After walking back out, he changed his gear and sprinted, blinking, levitating—casting every ability that could speed up his movement—just to reach the nearest dungeon quickly, leaving his dying mule behind.
…
Stella was panting and bleeding, but thanks to her armor's Pain Nullification effect, she couldn't feel the pain.
Still, panic crept in as her status bar dwindled. All her stockpiled potions were now empty—their shattered bottles littered the ground.
"D-don't come closer!" she shouted at the horde of salivating goblins.
They ignored her, leaping at her with savagery, even at the cost of their own lives. Stella smashed their skulls with her staff, but one goblin yanked it hard, wrenching it from her grip.
Above the cliff, a woman watched, laughing at the scene below.
Stella screamed as her robe tore under the relentless clawing of the goblins, the fabric finally shredding to pieces.
"/inspect," the woman muttered.
"What the hell? Only Tier II Masterpiece gear? Did I just waste my time on a complete newbie?"
The woman sighed, casting one last glance at Stella before turning to leave.
"Help! D-don't leave me! I don't want to die!" Stella screamed at the top of her lungs.
The woman paused, then smiled coldly.
"Oh, alright... Then I won't leave. I'll just stay and watch you die."
She observed as the goblins dragged Stella away. Once they had her pinned, their hysterical laughter filled the air—eyes gleaming with something between greed and lust.
"N-No! NO!" Stella shrieked, curling into herself, arms clutched over her chest.
Just as one goblin reached for her, a crossbow bolt exploded through its skull, splattering blue blood across Stella's white gown.
The woman's laughter died instantly as her gaze snapped to the black-cloaked figure standing across the clearing, crossbow in hand.
His hood shadowed his face, but not the glowing tip of the rolled dry leaf clamped between his teeth.
He took a long drag, exhaled a slow stream of smoke, then bellowed:
"FUCK IT, STELLA! HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU TO LISTEN TO ME?!"
…
Dexter continuously swapped his gear with every skill he cast, consuming more MP than usual. But thanks to the rolled dry leaf he kept sucking on between actions, his mana slowly replenished.
After eliminating nearly all the goblins, he approached Stella and tossed her his black cloak.
"Wear it, you idiot! You're practically naked!"
Once his healing spell took effect, he turned his attention to the woman, who stood gaping in shock at the scene before her.
"You... cheater! How the hell can you switch gear mid-combat?!" she shrieked.
"Oh... the game updated. This feels more realistic now... Hmm, maybe the new system update also changed how /help responds." Dexter murmured to himself.
Then, with a bored expression, he swapped to his crossbow and fired at the woman—only for the bolt to be blocked by a hexagonal shield.
"So an NPC... I thought you were just some ugly mob. Hey witch, you're lucky you're in a Safe Zone," Dexter taunted.
"Ha! Really? With that Tier II gear of yours? You think you could kill me if we were in a PK Zone?" she shot back.
Dexter materialized a staff in his hand and pointed it at the woman still laughing on the cliff.
"What? You think you can kill me with that?" she smirked.
"No... Did I say anything about killing you?"
'Explosion.'
The cliff's foundation beneath her erupted without warning, sending her plummeting—though the fall wasn't enough to kill her.
The remaining goblins below shifted their attention to the fallen woman. But with three years of brutal experience in Eldrion, she fought back, slaughtering every last one. Yet her bleeding status persisted; she'd need bandages or a healing spell to stop the worsening wounds.
"Sa-save me..." she begged.
"What if I don't?" Dexter laughed.
"I'll trade you all the coins in my inventory if you save me!"
Dexter stepped in front of her and studied her face.
"You have coins but no potions? Are you stupid or something? Didn't expect the newbie trap you set would backfire on you, huh?"
[RedLeaf92 wants to trade with you.]
[RedLeaf92 wants to trade with you.]
'Huh...first time seeing an IGN with numbers. Interesting.'
"Hey Stella," he called, staring at the girl now dressed in a fresh white gown beneath the black cloak.
"What should we do with her?"
"S-save her, Dex..." Stella murmured, biting her lip.
'This woman's too soft... Must be programmed that way... Whatever.'
"Hey RedLeaf, hand over all your coins and I'll heal you... but! You'll need to read something afterward. Agreed?"
"Hurry up! I'm down to 39 HP!" RedLeaf92 gasped.
Dexter received nearly 1.89 million coins from RedLeaf92 and healed her wounds.
"Idiot! You had me right where you wanted me but went and healed me instead. What a worthless newbie," she sneered.
"I've got the coins... Want them back? Just read what I want you to read first..." Dexter said with a sly smile.
He initiated another trade with RedLeaf92, entering the 1.89 million amount but deliberately not confirming.
"Fine... you moron. What's this thing you're so desperate for me to read?" RedLeaf92 smirked, looking thoroughly pleased with herself.
"Stella, cover your ears and close your eyes."
Stella immediately complied.
Dexter pulled an item from his inventory—a piece of brown leather bearing words crudely carved with a dagger—and held it up to the woman.
"Read it aloud, and I'll confirm the trade."
The woman squinted at the uneven lettering, struggling to make out the words.
"S...slash suicide?"