The group fell through the gaping hole, their screams and cheers echoing into the void.

Zero: "Oh my god, I hate this! WHY IS THIS EVEN A THING?!"

Karma: "Woooo! Best ride ever! Again, again!"

Victor rolled his eyes, grumbling under his breath, while Xavier casually adjusted his scarf, unbothered by the chaos.

When they finally hit the ground, a jarring thud greeted them. Darkness surrounded the group, thick and stifling.

Zero: "I never want to do that again."

Karma: "Come on, scaredy-cat. That was fun!"

As they tried to get their bearings, a piercing blue eye flickered in the distance.

Victor: "What the hell was that?"

Before anyone could answer, flames erupted along the room's edges, casting a sinister glow over the cavern. The full scene unfolded, a massive, circular battleground with jagged rocks and glowing symbols etched into the ground. At the center stood the culprit. But it wasn’t the towering, monstrous villain they expected. Instead, a teenage girl stood there, arms crossed and smirking. Dressed in a casual blue hoodie, a plain white T-shirt, shorts, and sturdy boots, she looked completely out of place.

Zero: "...That’s it? That’s what everyone’s scared of? She looks like she got lost on her way to school."

Victor: "This is gonna be a breeze. Watch me."

Victor approached her confidently, aiming a punch right at her. Just as he was about to land the hit, she vanished, reappearing behind him with an unsettling speed. A sudden slash noise filled the air, and Victor stumbled forward, clutching his side as his HP dropped from 5000 to 3200.

Victor: "What the hell?! What was that?!"

Karma: "Uh... guys? Her level... it’s Level 10."

Zero: "Oh no. Oh, this is bad. This is really bad. We’re only Level 2."

Xavier grimaced, his hand tightening around his dagger. "She’s fast. We’re outmatched here."

The girl, still smirking, tilted her head mockingly. "Wow. I thought you guys would at least try. This is gonna be boring."

Zero: "We don’t have a choice. We’re not losing here. Xavier, plan?"

Xavier nodded. "I’ll go first. I’m the Survivor; I’ll take the brunt of her attacks. Victor, stay back and snipe. Zero, go for melee strikes, and Karma, keep us alive. We can do this if we work together."

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Victor: "But first... what's your name?!"

The girl eye'd Victor down before sighing as she shook her head.

Rene: "My name is Rene."

The team nodded, falling into formation. Xavier darted in first, his dagger slashing in a quick, precise arc. His attack landed, dealing 500 damage and bringing the boss's HP down to 9500. But Rene, unfazed, retaliated with a spinning kick, sending Xavier sprawling. Zero leapt in next, his sword clashing against her aura-shielded arm. Despite landing a solid hit, Rene countered with a burst of energy that threw him back. Victor fired a series of arrows, two of which struck Rene, doing another 300 damage.

Karma: "Hang on, guys! Healing now!"

She cast her spell, enveloping the group in a warm green light. Their HP bars ticked upward, though Rene's strikes quickly offset the gains.

Rene: "Wow, you guys aren’t half bad. But I’m still better."

Xavier gritted his teeth. "Shut up, you cocky blueberry!" He surged forward again, delivering a quad Dagger Slash combo, one strike landing as a critical hit for 1300 damage. Rene staggered slightly but quickly regained her footing.

Rene: "What are your names?"

The group exchanged confused glances. Zero hesitated but answered first. "Zero."

Karma followed. "Karma."

Victor grunted. "Victor."

Xavier, still poised for another attack, added, "Xavier."

Rene smirked. "Nice names. Too bad you’ll be remembered as the team that lost to me."

Her taunt spurred them into action. Working as a unit, the group overwhelmed her with a relentless barrage of attacks. Victor landed a critical charged shot, and Zero's sword sliced through her defenses. Karma kept their health stable while sneaking in a few strikes of her own. After a grueling fight, Rene finally fell to the ground.

The battlefield dissolved into a dark void, and a triumphant message appeared: "You have defeated the first boss! You may revisit this challenge for additional rewards. Congratulations!"

As the team celebrated, they were teleported back to King Lorin's throne room.

Lorin: "Incredible work, warriors! You’ve saved us all. Here is your reward, 500,000 gold as promised."

The group’s eyes widened as they accepted the massive pile of gold.

Victor: "I don’t think I’ve ever seen this much money in a game before."

Karma: "Looks like we’re going shopping!"

At The Woreazan, the team upgraded their gear:

* Zero swapped his Starter Sword for a Legend Sword with better damage and handling.

* Karma improved her healing ability to Healer+.

* Xavier purchased an Obsidian Dagger with increased critical damage.

* Victor upgraded to a Recurve Bow for stronger charged attacks.

With their newfound strength, the group left Nebula Territory.

Zero: "Wait, we forgot to ask how to get out of the game!"

Xavier shrugged. "Guess we keep going until we figure it out. Maybe the final boss has the answer."

Victor scoffed. "What is this, Jumanji? Doubt it."

Karma: "Well, we’ll ask in the next Territory. Until then, let’s keep moving."

With their upgraded gear and renewed determination, the team pressed on, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.