Celine and I met up with Tessa for lunch, though the occasion was dampened by the slightly serious atmosphere of the message every Player around the world had received.

[Dude... even if you're semi-immortal, at least read the room ._. ] Sephera's message popped up in front of me as I hungrily wolfed down a sandwich. I slowed my chewing as I snuck a glance at Celine and Tessa.

They were both looking at me expectantly, their expressions a mix of curiosity and anxiety. "Well?" Tessa prodded. "What's a World Raid?"

I paused mid-bite. "Huh?"

They shared a look. "You don't know?" Celine asked, her eyes searching mine for any signs of understanding.

I took a moment to swallow my food, gulping down some water to wash it down. "No, not really. Why'd you guys think that I knew what it was?"

"Well, considering how perceptive and knowledgeable you've been about the world so far, I'd have assumed you'd have an idea of what a World Raid is, given your implied history with... video gaming entertainment," Tessa said, slowly.

"You don't have to make it sound fancy, I know you're referring to the fact that I used to waste time playing games," I grumbled, setting down my sandwich. "But, in all seriousness, I have no clue. Usually a World Raid or something similar means that it's a global event that allows players to complete a shared goal. In this case, I think that means a separate event will occur soon that will allow every Player around the world to participate in. As far as I know, this is different from the structured floors of the Tower and the randomness of dungeon breaks."

The two of them nodded thoughtfully, taking in the information. "It could be a chance for everyone to gain power, or maybe to prevent something catastrophic from happening," Celine mused, her eyes drifting to the sky through the restaurant's windows. High above was a translucent white text box with a timer of 12 hours on it.

"Considering that the 50th floor checkpoint is the make or break event, I think so too," I added, taking a sip of my drink. "Obviously it'll be a different beast than what we've become used to, but I have a feeling it also serves as a test for us to see if we're ready to take on the challenges later on."

Tessa watched me a moment before shaking her head. "Is that why you're so calm right now? Because there's a good chance that it's just a test?"

I shrugged. "I'm just as nervous as you guys might be, but I think my excitement is a lot greater than that. I mean, I've just been breezing through floors and dungeons pretty easily... so I won't lie when I say that I'm eager to have the chance to test my strength."

The two of them stared at me incredulously. "You think you've been breezing through?" Tessa exclaimed. "You're the one who's been dying like it's a hobby! If we didn't know any better, it would've looked as if you were struggling."

I opened my mouth, then closed it. I'd forgotten that I brought both of them into dungeon resonances on two separate occasions just for them to watch me blow myself up. "I'm... pretty sure I mentioned that dying and resurrecting makes me stronger...?"

Tessa rolled her eyes. "Yeah, we know. But that doesn't mean we're as... casual about it as you are. For one, neither of us can revive so freely like you can. Hell, I don't even have a potential lifeline like Celine does, so once I'm gone, I'm gone."

"Well, actually, I've never revived you before, Tempered Disaster, so you do have one free revive at the moment," Celine mumbled.

"I know you wanted to make me feel more at ease, but that sounds like you're encouraging me to be reckless..."

I continued to eat as Celine and Tessa discussed the potential dangers of the World Raid, lost in my thoughts. Tessa had a point, after all. At this point, I had so many ways to cheat death that I doubt I'd exhaust those options any time soon. Well, maybe I shouldn't jinx myself. After all, I had been thrown several curveballs when I least expected it.

After a while, we finished up eating, or rather, I finished up their lunches as well. Celine and Tessa weren't very hungry after the Celestial Twins dungeon followed right by the World Raid update, which was understandable.

"So, what do you plan to do now?" Tessa asked, looking at Celine and then at me. "You both have to be prepared for the World Raid, right?"

I smiled slightly. "Of course. Honestly, I'll just do what I've been doing, except with increased intensity and efficiency."

"You're... really relaxed about this, aren't you?" Tessa said, a hint of amazement in her voice. She looked at me with a mix of curiosity and concern. "Don't you think we should strategize or something?"

I shrugged. "With twelve hours remaining, I'm not quite sure how to go about it. Did you have something in mind?"

Tessa gave a strained smile. "I was really hoping you at least had an idea. I'm sure I can come up with something, but I've been so busy organizing the GPA to counter the rise of the PK syndicates you reported on earlier, that I haven't had much time for anything else. Except for lunches, I suppose." She gave me a pointed glance, to which I averted my gaze from.

"At any rate, I'll see what I can do. I'll probably coordinate a meeting with other GPA branch leaders and top guild representatives to see what the protocols will be," Tessa continued, already typing away on her phone. "It’s quite unfortunate that we’re already on the 40th floor, but we can’t control every Tower in the world. For the most part, I think there'll just be increased leveling by the Players in preparation for the World Raid. Following that, the guilds will discuss with other GPA branches to set up contingencies and formations for multiple scenarios. Since I still haven't gotten word about what this 'World Raid' could entail, this would be the best scenario."

I gazed at Tessa with wonder. She may not be the strongest Player, but her insight and apparent leadership definitely solidified her as a GPA leader.

"Luquier, I'm going to need you to actually have your phone on for updates," Tessa said, without looking up. "And if you go MIA again, I'm not waiting for you to resurface. I'll just assume you're taking a bathroom break or something and send you a brief message update over current events."

"Got it," I nodded, taking the chance to check my phone. Jeez, 100+ missed notifications. Most were just news and alerts, but I had a couple of texts I never opened.

"Well, if there's nothing else, I guess we'll meet up again soon," Tessa sighed and leaned back in her chair, sipping her mimosa. "So, are you two going to go level up now?"

Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

I glanced at Celine questioningly, but she shook her head. "Helianthus sent out a guild summon, so I'll have to attend the meeting before anything else." She turned towards me. "What about you, Luquier? Has Noble sent a message to you yet?"

I scrolled through my texts. "No, not yet. Either way, I'm planning to meet up with Izu anyway, to see if she can loan me some dungeon resonance gems."

"Sounds like a plan," Tessa nodded. "Good luck to you guys."

----------------------------------------

Before I went over to the Abyssal Bistro, I made a quick stop at the tower. It felt extremely weird, but I had promised Levius a fight. I figured I'd go ahead and scout the 40th floor while also indulging in Levius's request, killing two birds with one stone.

I stepped out onto the 30th floor Safe Zone, noticing that it was considerably more packed than usual. Players were everywhere, forming parties, sharing strategies, and buying supplies. It looked like the system alert had a huge impact on everyone's day. And with only 12 hours- 11 now, it seemed like there was a greater emphasis on being well-prepared as much as possible.

I hurriedly tried to make my way to the portal going to the next floor when I felt a sudden, familiar presence. I turned, seeing a small shop sandwiched in the middle of two bustling stores. No one was going into the smaller shop.

[Looks like she's back. You gonna go in?]

"Might as well," I murmured back to Sephera, changing my course. "At this point I should assume that Lucinda's always got something for me whenever she shows up."

I entered the small shop and was momentarily at a loss for words as the door closed behind me.

The woman behind the counter was considerably much younger than the Lucinda I had met up with before, now with luminous white hair and noticeably less wrinkles. In fact, she couldn't have been more than 30 or 40 years old.

"Um... hi," I stuttered stupidly.

[Dude.]

"Welcome back, dear," she said, her smile as warm and inviting as I remembered. Her silvery eyes twinkled as she looked me over, and for a moment, I felt like a child caught with muddy shoes in a pristine house. "I see you've made more progress on your path to filling in your predecessor's footsteps."

"Uh, y-yeah, I guess..." I replied awkwardly, still trying to get used to her more youthful appearance. I shook my head to clear my confusion. "Actually, I had some questions to ask you, but you probably know what I'm going to say. And I also think you're here because there's something you have to say or give to me, right?"

Lucinda chuckled, leaning over the counter. "Always so astute, dear. Indeed, I have something for you. But first, tell me, what do you think of this 'World Raid' event?"

I blanked out for a moment. "Uh, I'm not really sure. I mean, judging by the name, either us Players are going to have to raid some place or thing, or we'll have to prepare ourselves for invaders. Either way, there's a good chance this will help us prepare for the 50th floor event."

Lucinda nodded thoughtfully. "Excellent guess. But remember, not everything is as it seems in this world. Sometimes, the greatest battles are those we fight within ourselves." She smiled softly. "Or at least, in your case, it may very well be outside of your 'self'."

[...?]

I was just as lost as Sephera. My least favorite type of games were puzzles, so Lucinda's cryptic words were definitely not helping.

"I'm not sure what you mean, but I'll keep that in mind," I replied, trying to keep the skepticism out of my voice. "Is there anything else you can tell me about the World Raid?"

Lucinda gazed at me with a warmth that gave me motherly vibes. "Only what I'm allowed to. And that is: don't be hasty to choose sides, dear."

Her words left me more confused than before. What sides? The only side I knew of was the one with us Players and the system we were trying to beat. But she made it sound like there was something more to it, something deeper than just a game. Wait a minute...

"You... wouldn't happen to know who Bathalt is, would you?" I asked her, recalling the time that the Devil King had said something similar to me when I first encountered him. Something about never using his specter and becoming enemies with him. "He seemed like he knew you."

In a rare moment, Lucinda made a face that was a mix between embarrassment and disapproval. "Bathalt? That boy relentlessly courted me, despite my repeated rejection and our difference in time," she replied, her voice carrying a hint of exasperation. "After he became the Devil King, he eventually eased up on the courtship... well, mainly in part because of all his brides, but still..."

Hearing Lucinda talk about the most powerful being I've met so far as a mere boy hung on puppy love was strange at first, but then I realized two things. First, I nervously got the sense that Lucinda might be vastly stronger than Bathalt, considering that I couldn't see her stats even now. Second, it gave me an idea of just how old Lucinda was, despite her current appearance.

"Sorry dear, I became distracted," she said with a sigh, returning her gaze to me. "But, I do have something for you. More of an insurance, if you will."

Lucinda waved her hand, and a small, intricately crafted black stone appeared in the palm of my hand. It felt cold to the touch, almost alive with a pulse of its own. "This is an item that can only be used once. Of course, I shouldn't be playing favorites, but I'm sure that the others have begun reaching out to other Players as well."

I examined the stone closely, feeling its weight and the power emanating from it. Concentrating for a moment, I saw a description box pop up in front of me.

[Name: Last Resort | Grade: Z]

[Description: Consumes all Risk points to permanently decrease the power of a single target by percentage. Upon use, the item will be destroyed.]

I blinked in surprise. A Z-grade item? This was something that didn't even exist in 'Last Stand'. The game's maximum item grade was S, and those were rare enough. A Z-grade item could potentially be game-breaking. Not to mention I'd have to use up all of the Risk points I had accumulated so far. If Lucinda was giving this to me, it meant I'd have to fight an opponent far stronger than I could ever imagine. Honestly, it made me pretty nervous.

The main factor of my playstyle revolved around having as much Risk as possible, which wasn't very ideal with the pain penalties and whatnot, but it fueled nearly everything in my arsenal. The fact that I'd need to expend all of it against a future opponent was a heavy pill to swallow. I tucked the Last Resort into my Inventory, feeling the coldness linger on my fingertips.

The atmosphere dampened considerably as I looked at Lucinda. "S-so... what's the deal with this World Raid? What's the real objective? Am I gonna have to use the stone you gave me for the event?"

Truth to be told, I had thought I'd be able to breeze through whatever the World Raid would throw at me. With how much the 50th floor checkpoint had been talked about so often, I assumed that it would be the hardest endeavor I, including the rest of the world, would have to go through.

"Well, the World Raid isn't exactly a battle, dear," she said, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "It's more like... a test, a challenge for the Players to show their worth."

"Worth for what?" I couldn't help but ask, feeling a bit lost in the conversation.

"You will learn very soon," she replied cryptically, the corners of her mouth curling into a knowing smile. "But let me clarify, dear. The Last Resort is something to be used only in the direst of situations. It's a tool to balance the scales, not a cheat code for victory. I'm sure you'll know right away when the time is right to use it."

"But-" I felt my body being pulled towards the exit and immediately knew that Lucinda was sending me away. "W-wait! What about the details?"

Lucinda merely gave me a wave as I got dragged to the door. "Just know that I'm on your side, dear. Others will have chosen their allies, but keep in mind my warning not to choose sides so hastily."

Her words echoed in my mind as I stepped out into the bustling Safe Zone. The excitement and tension of the impending event was everywhere, with Players from all over the world preparing for the unknown. As I navigated through the crowded streets, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off about the whole situation. This 'World Raid' was unlike anything I had encountered in 'Last Stand'. Granted, I only reached floor 30 in the virtual predecessor, so it made sense that I didn't have any prior knowledge now. Still, besides my nervousness, I couldn't help but feel eager to face this new event head-on.

As I stood in front of the portal to the 31st floor, I took a deep breath and cleared my head. There were 10 hours left before the World Raid began, and I was determined to make the most of the time remaining.