The walls screamed.
It wasn't a sound Karl could easily describe—less a noise and more a sensation, like the very air recoiling. The moment Robin removed the Poneglyph fragment from its pedestal, the ancient temple groaned as though it had been stabbed in the heart.
The stone walls began to shift, cracking violently. Dust poured from the ceiling, and a low rumble vibrated through Karl's boots.
[System Alert: Temple Collapse Imminent]
[Timer Activated – 15:00]
Karl's eyes flicked to the countdown in his vision. "Fifteen minutes to get out," he muttered, then looked at Robin. "That thing of yours just woke up the whole damn island."
Robin clenched the fragment to her chest, her face pale but determined. "Then we run."
She dashed ahead, surprisingly agile for someone burdened with a relic the size of a small crate. Karl followed, boots slamming against the stone floor as they retraced their steps—until the ground trembled again.
From behind, the pedestal cracked wide open.
And from the broken stone emerged something ancient, massive, and angry.
A guardian.
It was a golem—ten feet tall, made entirely of cracked obsidian and gold-trimmed armor, its chest etched with glowing red script. It turned toward them with a grinding roar, eyes like molten lava.
[Mini-Boss Detected: Temple Guardian – Level 32]
Karl clicked his tongue. "Of course. Can't ever just walk away clean."
Robin halted, startled by the sound behind them, her eyes widening as the guardian raised a massive stone hammer.
"Move!" Karl shouted, shoving her to the side just as the hammer slammed into the ground where she'd stood, cracking the floor.
He activated Thunder Step, flashing ahead in a blur of speed, then twisted mid-air and hurled a twin arc of flame from his left hand—Ember Lashes.
The attack seared across the guardian's shoulder, sending sparks and molten rock flying. But the creature didn't even flinch.
[System Analysis: Physical Resistance – High. Elemental Resistance – Moderate.]
"Great," Karl muttered, landing beside Robin. "It's built like a mountain with a temper."
Robin stood and looked at him, impressed but still cautious. "You can fight that thing?"
"Only if we want to die slowly," Karl said. "We need to outrun it. Can you still guide us?"
She nodded. "This way!"
They sprinted through the hall, dodging falling debris and crumbling statues. The guardian's stomps echoed behind them, shaking the very walls.
The corridor ahead narrowed, forcing Robin and Karl to sprint single-file as dust rained from the ceiling. Vines that had once crept gently through cracks now tore away violently, revealing sharpened traps hidden in the stone.
Robin ducked instinctively as a pressure plate triggered—click—and a volley of darts burst from both walls.
Karl threw himself forward and activated Ember Shell, surrounding his body in a blazing barrier of fire. The darts melted on impact or deflected harmlessly to the side.
"You okay?" he called back.
"I'm not the one glowing like a bonfire," Robin snapped, brushing dirt from her cheek as she leapt over a broken stair.
Karl grinned despite the chaos. "Didn't expect you to have a sense of humor."
"I didn't expect you to still be alive."
They burst into a larger chamber—round, dimly lit, and split down the center by a deep chasm. The original bridge that once spanned it had crumbled long ago. Only two narrow beams of stone remained, slick with moisture and time.
Robin skidded to a halt. "We can't jump that."
"Then we balance."
"I'm carrying a hundred-year-old artifact," she snapped.
Karl scanned the distance, gauging the chasm.
[Active Skill: Spirit Tracker]
[Environmental Route Identified]
Thin stone ledges lined the upper edges of the walls—dangerous, narrow, but passable.
"I'll take the ledge," Karl said. "You use the beam. I'll cover you."
Robin didn't argue. She moved quickly, placing one foot in front of the other with the calm precision of a dancer. Her balance was impeccable—years of survival had clearly sharpened every instinct.
Karl moved above her, fire sparking in his palms in case the guardian appeared again.
Halfway across, it did.
The golem burst into the chamber, its bulk too large to follow directly. It raised its hand and slammed it into the wall—
Cracks spidered across the ceiling. Chunks of ancient rock plummeted toward Robin.
Karl didn't think—he launched a blazing whip from his hand, curling it around the largest falling slab and yanking it aside before it could crush her.
Robin staggered, nearly slipping—but Karl's second whip lashed out and caught her wrist.
"Don't fall now," he said through clenched teeth, the whip of fire glowing hot in the dim light.
Robin's eyes met his, wide with surprise. "You... pulled me back."
"You're useful," Karl smirked. "Can't let you die yet."
Robin steadied herself and crossed the rest of the beam with renewed focus, while Karl sprinted along the upper ledge. Behind them, the Temple Guardian roared in frustration—it was too large to cross the chasm, but that didn't stop it from trying.
It slammed its fists into the walls, dislodging more debris. Ancient statues collapsed, and part of the far wall gave way—opening a new path deeper into the ruin.
[System Update: Optional Path Discovered – "Vault of Echoes"]
Warning: High Danger – Recommend Evacuation
Karl barely glanced at the alert. "Not today."
They reached the other side just as the platform beneath the beam crumbled completely. Karl landed in a roll, turned to see Robin still clutching the fragment, dust clinging to her arms and face.
She looked at him, breathing heavily. "I thought you were after treasure or glory. But that power of yours—what are you?"
Karl opened his mouth, but the temple shook again. No time for answers.
"Exit's this way!" she said, turning into another corridor lined with fading murals—images of ancient scholars, ships, and an enormous tree Karl didn't recognize. It pulsed faintly, as though the very walls held memory.
Karl slowed for a half-second. "That tree... What is it?"
Robin hesitated. "It's from Ohara. It's called the Tree of Knowledge."
Karl filed the name away. "We'll talk later. Let's live first."
As they raced down the final stretch, more traps sprung—flame jets, swinging blades, collapsing floors. Karl took the lead, using Thunder Step to trigger traps ahead and clear a safe path for Robin.
He absorbed flames with Ember Shell, deflected pressure plates with thrown blades, and tackled a collapsing arch before it could crush them both.
[Skill: Thunder Step] – Mastery increased to 37%
[Skill: Ember Shell] – Mastery increased to 42%
Finally, daylight bled into the corridor.
They were close.
The moment they reached the temple's threshold, the jungle's hot, humid air hit them like a wall.
Behind them, the ceiling gave one final groan—and then collapsed completely, sealing the entrance in a storm of stone and dust.
Karl and Robin tumbled down the mossy steps, rolling into the overgrown clearing. Vines whipped past Karl's face as he braced himself, sliding to a stop. Robin collapsed beside him, gasping, still clutching the Poneglyph fragment.
Silence followed. Pure, blessed silence.
Only the distant sound of birds and the rustling of leaves reminded them they were alive.
[System Alert: Mission Complete – "Escape the Temple Collapse"]
Reward: +1 Rare Gacha Ticket | 3,000 Beli
Bonus: Passive Agility +1 (Survivor's Reflex)
Karl exhaled and let his back fall against the roots of a thick tree. "That... was close."
Robin looked at him, her chest rising and falling rapidly. "You saved my life more than once in there."
He shrugged, flipping the glowing Rare Ticket that appeared in his hand. "Guess I'm a nice guy."
Robin tilted her head. "You could have left me behind. Taken the artifact for yourself."
"I don't care about the stone," Karl said honestly. "I care about the tickets."
She blinked. "Tickets?"
Karl smirked and held up the glowing crystal-like card. "Gacha System. Long story."
She narrowed her eyes. "You're hiding something."
"And you're carrying a priceless relic and somehow know the layout of an ancient temple," Karl countered. "We've both got secrets, Robin."
Her gaze sharpened at the use of her name. "You knew who I was from the start."
"I've been watching the bounty boards," Karl replied. "You're not exactly a background character."
Robin didn't deny it. Instead, she looked down at the fragment in her lap. "That guardian... it was protecting knowledge. Not gold."
"Yeah," Karl said, glancing at the sealed temple behind them. "Seems like a lot of people in this world kill to bury the truth."
Before Robin could reply, something shifted in the trees nearby.
Karl stood quickly, fire already swirling at his fingertips.
A silhouette watched them from the edge of the jungle—tall, thin, draped in black. They couldn't see the face, only the glint of light on metal and a faint, clicking sound... like boots tapping against bark.
Then the figure vanished.
[Unknown Entity Detected – Observation Logged]
Karl clenched his fists. "We're being watched."
Robin rose to her feet slowly, her gaze still locked on the spot where the figure had stood. "Someone followed us?"
Karl nodded, his eyes scanning the treetops. "They were fast. Too fast for a local."
"Then they were waiting." Robin clutched the fragment tighter. "They wanted this."
Karl took a step forward and ignited a small flame in his hand. "Let them try. I've still got fight left in me."
[New Mission Available: Investigate the Jungle Watcher]
Reward Tier: Uncommon – Rare (Bonus if defeated)
Robin looked at Karl again, her expression unreadable. "You're not what I expected."
"Good," he replied. "Means I'm doing something right."
He looked down at the Rare Gacha Ticket in his hand. The glowing shard pulsed with energy—ready to be used. But Karl held it back.
Not yet.
He'd save it. He was close now—one more Rare, and he could trade up to a Legendary Ticket.
[Current Ticket Inventory]
– Common: 2
– Uncommon: 4
– Rare: 9
– Legendary: 0
– Mystical: 0
– God: 0
[System Notice: 10 Rare = 1 Legendary | Conversion Available]
Almost there.
He slipped the ticket into his pouch and turned to Robin. "So what now? You run?"
Robin shook her head. "I hide. Then I find the next piece."
Karl raised an eyebrow. "Of the Poneglyph?"
She didn't answer. Instead, she met his gaze with calm determination. "You're a wildcard. I don't trust easily. But you helped me... so I'll offer this—if you're after power, real power... then follow the truth. It's written in stone."
With that cryptic warning, she turned and disappeared into the jungle.
Karl watched her go, then looked back toward the sealed ruins. He'd come for a ticket. He'd gotten one.
But now... there was more.
A bigger game was being played—and Karl Drakos had just stepped onto the board.
Mission Summary:
✔ Survive the temple collapse
✔ Defeat/evade the guardian
✔ Protect the artifact bearer
✔ Escape the ruins alive
— Observer Encounter Logged
Rewards Gained:
– 1x Rare Gacha Ticket
– +3000 Beli
– Passive: Survivor's Reflex (+1 Agility)