It was 11 AM, but the city felt caught in a slumber, half-awake, half-lost in the digital depths of dream-tasks. There was no overwhelming din, nor a suffocating silence. Just the soft shuffle of footsteps, the murmur of distant voices, and the occasional whir of a passing vehicle painting the air.
Meldenma's Awakening
Deep within her mould box, Meldenma was still submerged in sleep. Yet, even before her eyes fluttered open, her senses began to stir, gently observing the world around her, or what she perceived of it.
A thought drifted through her awakening mind: "Seems I'm up early today."
Her eyelids parted, revealing the soft, ambient glow of amber light. For a long moment, her gaze rested on words emblazoned across the container directly before her: HIDE, FIGHT, COMPLETE.
She was nestled within a confined, container-like space, its interior lined with plush, soft cushions. The amber light was gentle, never harsh enough to sting her eyes. Nor was the enclosure so small as to induce a sense of suffocation. Instead, it was comfortable, relaxing, a haven of quietude.
Meldenma pushed open the gate of her mould box. It slid down with a soft whoosh, like a ramp unfurling, bringing her gently to the floor. She settled cross-legged, her gaze drifting to the far wall where a clock glowed 11:05 AM.
"Still starting my day in the morning," she mused, a faint smirk playing on her lips. "Not bad."
She drew her legs up, resting her head on her knees, her hands massaging her calves. A phantom ache lingered.
The thought, a quiet whisper in her mind: "I can still feel the pain in my legs from that task, or maybe I just didn't get enough sleep. A cup of coffee would be perfect to relax my mind."
With a languid stretch, she popped her joints, preparing her body for the day's routine, for the tasks that waited.
"Hey, Fotis!" Meldenma called out, her voice cutting through the soft hum of the room. "Can you give me the full debrief on yesterday's task?"
A soft whirring sound, and then Fotis, a surprisingly cute, robotic machine, chimed in. "Hi, Melma! Good morning! And if I may say so, congratulations! Because you successfully completed one of the top owner's incredibly hard set of tasks!" Fotis chirped, its voice a pleasant, robotic hum.
"Fotis, also tell me how much I earned," Meldenma asked, a hint of anticipation in her voice.
"200,000 N," Fotis chirped back.
"What the hell, seriously?!"
Meldenma exclaimed, a mix of shock and frustration washing over her. "Wait a minute, I shouldn't be happy. I should be regretting this! I could've earned 400,000 N, but because of that lanky guy, the reward was cut in half. Damnnnnnnn."
"Actually, this is your best earning to date," Fotis interjected. "And I also need to tell you something else. The task you completed yesterday? It was only released yesterday, and you were the very first to finish it, all within 24 hours."
Meldenma went still for a moment, the revelation sinking in.
"Thanks, Fotis. Bye," she said, a new thought dawning on her
Before even a thought of tidying the apartment, Meldenma reached for her headphones, expertly settling them over her ears. With the volume cranked high, the world outside her sonic sanctuary faded, replaced by the pulse of her chosen beats. Housekeeping commenced. Her first target: the bed. Already impeccably neat, a testament to the fact that Meldenma herself rarely truly slept upon it, she nonetheless smoothed its perfect surface. Then, armed with a cloth and a gleaming liquid, she began to wipe down other surfaces, a meticulous ritual of purification. Was she simply cleaning, or was this precise act a way to clear her mind, to process the jarring news Fotis had just delivered? The rhythm of her cleaning seemed to match the thrum of the music, a strange dance between mundane tasks and an extraordinary life.
"Shower or eat first... I'll just get myself clean, then eat. Otherwise, I'll start feeling sleepy again." Meldenma made a swift, practical decision.
An hour and a half later, Meldenma emerged from the bathroom, refreshed and ready. From her meticulously organized stock, she retrieved a massive cup of chicken noodle soup, poured in hot water, and waited for ten patient minutes as the noodles softened.
"Might as well read a book while I eat," she murmured to herself.
She plucked another thriller from her shelf, its cover hinting at dark secrets and twists, and placed it on the table beside the sofa. The comforting aroma of the soup drifted from the kitchen, a stark contrast to the thrilling narrative she was about to plunge into.
"I can't wait any longer for this hot food!" Meldenma exclaimed to herself, her patience wearing thin.
She folded both her legs up, settling comfortably onto the sofa. She opened the first page of her book, then took a huge bite from her cup, a fork loaded with chicken pieces and veggies. Blowing on it twice to cool it, she opened her mouth to take the bite...
Ding dong! (Thud, thud, thud!) A loud, insistent pounding echoed through the quiet apartment.
Meldenma's face went perfectly still, all reactions vanishing.
When the doorbell rang for the second time in five minutes, she yanked open the gate, clearly annoyed.
> "Just once, I want a day without people wasting my time," she grumbled, hair messy and eyes sharp like she'd just escaped from a battlefield.
Before she could even take a proper breath, Vita—her overly energetic best friend—slid into the frame like a scene straight out of an action hologram.
"Miss Top Rank!" Vita exclaimed, beaming. "So, when are we celebrating your fame with a party, hmm?"
Meldenma blinked slowly, already regretting opening the door.
> (Internal thought: This girl is going to chew up my entire day.)
"Can we talk like... 15 minutes later?" Meldenma pleaded, already halfway back inside.
But Vita, being Vita, wasn't about to wait.
"Oh please," she grinned, pressing a few commands on her phone. "Maybe you'll change your mind after seeing this."
With a confident flick of her wrist, Vita projected a glowing hologram screen, showing the Top Ranked Players of the week.
Only two names were listed:
1. Meldenma.
2. Some tall, mysterious guy that weirdo , and his name is "NOXNY"
"That's it?" Meldenma frowned. "Just me and that giraffe?"
"Exactly!" Vita said. "You picked the toughest task—one literally nobody even tries. And you crushed it!"
"It wasn't tough," Meldenma said, grabbing a bowl of spicy noodles. "People just give up too fast. If they played it a few more times, they'd get the pattern."
"Yeah, except you didn't give anyone a chance!" Vita protested. "You finished it on the first attempt in 3 minutes and 15 seconds. Were you on something when you chose that task?"
"Nope. Just bored," Meldenma said between giant bites. "Thought I'd give it a shot. See what happens."
Vita stared, stunned. "That's... the worst reason ever."
"At least I'm not lying," Meldenma shrugged, slurping up another noodle strand.
"Well," Vita said, switching gears, "if you're bored, then come out with me! Sitting at home isn't gonna teach you new skills—or make you a better fighter."
Meldenma paused, eyebrow raised. "Where are we going?"
"STRONG ONE Arena." Vita's voice practically sparkled with excitement.
Meldenma made a face like she'd just swallowed bitter tea. "No way. Why do you people enjoy watching robotic creatures tear each other apart? They look like walking nightmares. Plus, what's the point? People spend years on those bots just to have them destroyed in 3 round." seriously just in 45 minutes. !!!!
"Ah, but this time," Vita leaned closer, eyes gleaming, "the fight's not between nobodies. Word is—Seleste is entering the ring. And they are no ordinary fighter. They are one of the top DUCES."
"Wait, the Seleste?" Meldenma asked, intrigued for the first time.
"Yep. And the hype's been going on for two weeks. Maybe if you stepped outside once in a while, you'd know."
Meldenma rolled her eyes. "Fine. Give me 20 minutes. I'll be ready."
Vita gasped. "Finally! After so many days, we're going out together!"
"Yeah, yeah," Meldenma smirked. "But you're paying for the tickets. And the snacks."
Vita grinned proudly. "Already done. I knew you'd pull this. You're the most miserly, penny-pinching genius I've ever met."
Meldenma laughed- "At least you know something true about me."
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