“What’s going on?!” Rex shouted. He and the rest of his team ran up to the city gates. The city behind them burned, but everyone knew where the fire came from. Ahead of the stone wall was an army of humanoids. They all wore the same armor that glistened a greenish color in the moonlight. The area reeked of death, even though the battle had yet to begin.

“We’re being invaded by the demon army! One of the sins, Envy, has come to destroy us, but we won’t let that happen! Right, men?!” Oliver replied. He was in the middle of giving a speech to his fellow soldiers. The troops shouted back with enthusiasm. War was on the horizon, and everyone present was ready to lay down their lives for the cause. They were the first line of defense against the demon menace, but they were far from alone. Adventurers, young and old, were also eager to protect their homes and gain experience. Everyone let out a warcry before charging into battle, leaving a certain party of four behind.

“That sounds like an end-game boss,” Xander said. He wasn’t as familiar with video games as Rex or Nicholas, but he knew enough to know what a boss’s name sounded like. A game wouldn’t name any random NPC after one of the seven deadly sins. Envy was sure to be a significant threat. One that these four had no business getting involved with.

“Why would they be attacking a starter-level city?” Robyn asked. If one boss was named Envy, that meant the other six sins were to deal with. Eight bosses sounded rather standard, with the final one being whoever was in charge of the core seven. Still, it didn’t make sense for such a powerful person to attack an insignificant area. This city was large, but it was full of new adventurers and fresh guardsmen.

“It’s probably the paladin’s fault,” Nicholas said. He thought about Paladin Rose and her overwhelming power. It was the kind of strength that would attract others to challenge it. If Envy was true to their namesake, they were bound to be lured. The only other reason was one that Nicholas couldn’t explain. He and Robyn both caused errors within the Genesis Program. Was it possible that they broke the sequence of events? Was the program trying to enact revenge? Could it even do that?

“Where is she anyway? A high level like hers means she’s built for something like this.” Rex said, interrupting Nicholas’s mental crisis. No one had seen Paladin Rose since the emergency began. She wasn’t in the sea of soldiers nor putting out fires in the city.

“She’s probably in the thick of it. Come on! We can help!” Xander said. He wasn’t eager to fight against demons but staying back and doing nothing was not an option. This was the only place they knew. It was where they lived since the beginning. He refused to watch it burn to the ground. Even if he had to go alone, Xander would charge into the battlefield.

“But-” Robyn tried to say. She had several reservations about entering an ongoing warzone. The main problem was the team’s average level. Normal adventurers were fighting on equal grounds against some of the lesser demons. What hope did these four have against them?

“We’ll be fine,” Nicholas said with a reassuring voice. It was the kind of tone that helped calm the group's nerves. A sort of kumbaya moment. One that raised everyone’s spirits. Together, they could get through anything the Genesis Program had to throw at them. Unfortunately for Nicholas, he had no way to tell them that he was lying due to the negative skill [Pathological Liar].

Regardless, the four set off into the sea of violence. Swords banged against shields. Arrow pierced through armor. Mounts crushed their victims. Spells were cast, with varying effects. Even some harsh words were tossed about that can’t be repeated. The team of four low-leveled adventurers made their way from battle to battle. To be more precise, they stumbled their way from battle to battle. Each impressive opponent sent them recoiling, bouncing off of each encounter until they somehow landed in a very familiar-looking field.

The area was relatively empty. Most of the fighters stuck to the city’s walls, and this place offered no significant advantages for either side. The only people present were the four adventurers, Paladin Rose, and an ominous woman. Rose was kneeling with her sword embedded into the earth. She clung to her weapon like a cane and desperately tried to raise herself, but the vile woman wouldn’t allow it. Lightning bolted from her fingertips and zapped Rose, causing her to scream in pain.

“Rose!” The team said in unison. Their faces went pale as the paladin collapsed. She was unconscious. The only hope to end this skirmish had fallen. Everyone rushed over to her. Robyn took Rose in her arms and fed the paladin a minor health potion. It was the only one she had, but Robyn refused to ignore the hero’s wounds. Each scratch glowed before fading away, but a full recovery would take time.

“Dear me, whatever shall I do? A group of young heroes. Were you perhaps chosen by the voice? Such an honor. One I certainly never got. I have no doubt that you’re all much better than I am.” The strange woman, Envy, said. She was dressed in a flowing emerald dress. A silver chest piece covered her torso and upper arms. Polished gauntlets covered her delicate hands. The boots she wore were muddy, though that was expected after everything that had happened. Her armor was etched with an immaculate floral design, and gemstones added to her captivating presence. She was masterfully put together as if she hopped out of a renaissance painting.

“Damn you! You’ll pay for that!” Rex shouted as he rushed forward. Normally, Rex would know better than to charge forward. Even slimes still needed to be analyzed before engaging. Unfortunately, Rex suffered from his skill, [Irresponsible], which caused the rash decision. He didn’t even pull out his weapon.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“Oh my. Such bravery. Do you have anything else I lack? I bet you’re just as irritating as her. Let me guess, you’re a hero with a god-tier sword. Whatever it is, it’ll add to my strength.” Envy said with a haughty attitude. She knew her skill would only grow with these new heroes. Her swift hand grabbed Rex’s neck, catching him mid-run. His air supply was restricted, but he had enough energy to offer immediate resistance.

“It ain’t a sword. It’s a [Crude Iron Rod]! And she’d like to have a word with you! [Heavy Hit]!” Rex said. He immediately grabbed the iron stick that hung from his hip. It glowed when the skill imbued it with power. The light arced through that air. Rex put every effort into the smash, but his target saw it coming thanks to advanced perception. To her, the stick may as well have been moving in slow motion.

“That’s cute, but-” Envy started to say. She allowed the iron rod to brush against her cheek, thinking it would prove her point. She expected the attack to be negated thanks to her skill, [Envy]. She was proven wrong when Rex’s skill finally reached her.

“CRITICAL HIT. DAMAGE INCREASED BY ONE THOUSAND PERCENT.”

“What?” Envy stuttered. She felt the full force of Rex’s smash attack. Her face recoiled from the attack. A shaking gauntlet released its victim, who immediately jumped away. Her skill should have stopped the attack. [Envy] should have made these heroes helpless before her. What was going on? What did they have that she didn’t?

“If her sin is envy, then she probably gets stronger when her opponent is superior,” Xander mumbled. He tried to keep his voice low to inform the others. Envy wasn’t moving. She was too busy mumbling to herself. No doubt, she was about to explode from frustration. The team needed to assess the situation before they were slaughtered by someone with a higher level than Rose.

“That’s a pretty strong ability. Too bad it's going up against us.” Robyn said. She also kept her voice low, but a chuckle escaped her. It was an odd situation to be in. Envy had the potential to be the most powerful person in the world if she only fought people stronger than herself. This overpowered skill meant nothing against a team of beginners.

“I don’t understand. Why would the voice betray me?” Envy said, finally breaking her silence. She gripped her head as if fighting something within her mind. Her teeth clenched as she grunted and mumbled incoherently. The gauntlets clung to her hair as she shook her head in frustration.

“Can she hear Genesis?” Nicholas thought to himself. This was the second time Envy mentioned a mysterious voice. She said that it chose them. Was she another participant? No, she explicitly mentioned that she wasn’t chosen. Envy was just another NPC. One that was linked to Genesis and could hear its voice. A smile appeared on Nicholas’s face when his plan formed.

“Everyone, we’re taking her out! Fight against my distraction with everything you’ve got! Genesis, I’m using my daily question. Tell everyone that can hear your voice. What are the first five hundred digits of pi? Max volume!” Nicholas shouted. If Envy could hear Genesis, then he’d use it to his advantage. Genesis had many settings. Each participant could customize the voice they heard to better accommodate them. One setting that everyone immediately changed was the volume, for good reason.

“DAILY QUESTION ACCEPTED. THE ANSWER WILL BE BROADCASTED TO ALL WHO ARE LINKED TO THE GENESIS PROGRAM. THE FIRST FIVE HUNDRED DIGITS OF PI ARE AS FOLLOWS.”

“Arg! The voice is grating! You’d dare come up with this scheme?! You must be some sort of genius.” Envy said. The voice in her head was louder than anything she’d ever heard. She thought that this was the plan of someone with the world’s highest intelligence. She could almost feel [Envy] activate. Her power climbed, but it all vanished the moment she looked at her targets.

They were all clutching their heads in pain. Agony was stretched across all of their faces, but they didn’t give up. Rex was the first to move. He stumbled forward, still gripping his ears. Pained eyes opened wide before locking with Envy’s. Rex took a massive step forward and slammed his head against hers. Genesis relayed another message over top of its current answer. It was the same critical hit message from earlier.

Robyn shouted out her skill, but no one could hear it. The air was still. The field was free from animals. Whatever command she gave, it failed. She moved to give another order but stopped. The earth beneath her was trembling. The ground around Envy erupted. Bugs of all shapes and sizes spewed forth. They crawled and slithered up her skin and into her dress without hesitation. The small bites were minuscule at first, but their strength multiplied with each new critter. Genesis delivered yet another critical hit message.

Xander took out his bow. He readied two arrows. Upon firing, he immediately used [Accurate Shot] on both. The projectiles soared through the air. They pierced through the flowing dress and embedded into the earth. Envy tried to free herself, but the arrows restricted her movement. She refused to move her hands from her head, and her feet were too busy stomping on all the bugs. Genesis didn’t give a critical hit message, but Xander’s attack was in no way insignificant.

Nicholas turned his pain-filled head and noticed a familiar-looking blob near him. It was attracted to the commotion. He used most of his energy to stand up. Genesis’s voice continued to decimate his thoughts. There was no time to formulate a perfect plan. Nicholas stepped forward and used his remaining energy to kick the blue slime at the sin. It flew through the air before latching onto Envy’s head. Genesis uttered her final critical hit message.

The four adventurers had used their attacks but were left with no follow-up. They struggled to remain standing, and the voice continued to beat them down. Suddenly, a new hero entered the fray. It was Paladin Rose. She had recovered enough to enter battle once again. Thanks to the slime and indescribably loud voice, Envy couldn’t see that her nemesis had risen. Exhausted feet carried Rose forward. The gleaming sword that slew countless demons dragged along the ground.

In one swing, the battle was finished.