Aluxan held his hand gripping it as he waited for the battle to commence. "Grande," he said, referring to the Guildless player. Grande on the other hand floated into a seating position. She coursed her hand on her chin inspecting the four players. “There is a clear level difference between the two.” Although Nox's trick would work on the average player, the effect came to Grande, but she quickly disengaged its effect.

She then inspected Aethera. “But that player has gone through an interesting change. Valhalla classes are hard to come by which means.” She paused looking at Aluxan. “Even you must have died once. For a level 300 to not have died once. That is impressive. As for Gaston…”

Below Gaston would take position with Aethera. Something seemed different about him. At first, it was a smile, and then it was a laugh. “Aethera, you have not only dominated but you exceeded my expectations. The only person I consider a true disciple of battle!”

Aethera glanced at Gaston and back at the two Guildless players. She couldn’t help but be concerned about their adversaries and even more, she looked up to see Aluxan and the other guildless player not fighting. Why was she not fighting? Could it be that there was collusion within the ranks of the Guildless? Why would Madder lie? “She wouldn’t.” She remarked. She wiped a drop of sweat from her forehead turning to Gaston. Even she could see a flare within him. To her Gaston was more than just the leader of her Guild, but a player she could aspire to be. He represented to her a player who had mastered the game in many ways. For one, he trained her in battle and took her on solely. Even she wondered why this exactly was, but it would soon be answered when he leaped towards the two Guildless players head-on.

“Whoa there Donkey!” Nox yelled. Yanderes jumped back, while Nox would take on Gaston. Gaston held his shoulders down, putting his weight into his feet, yelling, “Shoulder Charge!”

Nox placed his hand out, placing it where Gaston would be, but then Aethera came from behind Nox in an instant, setting a trail of lightning behind her. Using her hand she swat away Nox’s hand swiping upwards with her mace while holding her two-handed weapon in one hand. Three Aur-Aluns would appear, absorbing the attack head-on and disappearing into dust. Rather than connecting his attack, he swirled around Nox, grabbing him from behind, and hugging around his stomach. He grasped his hands together, locking his fingers, and leaped into the air. Gaston noticed something off. His body was liquid, almost like there were no bones. Although this was a game, even physical structure could be felt through weight and body image depicted by the game, and translated through the Neuropatch 2.

“Oh crap!” Nox said smugly. As he was taking into the air, Gaston flipped the two of them, and returned to the ground, smashing Nox into the ground. A cloud of dust would emerge from the crash, and before Yanderes could react, the blunt of the Aethera’s mace swung, etching away the cloud. It grazed close to Yanderes' face, but she dodged it ever so slightly. She then jumped back pointing her staff forward. The Aur-Aluns leaped to her command, but a single mace would be seen swatting away the wolves. One by one, from the opaque cloud an Aur-Alun would emerge defeated, phasing into particles. Yanderes kissed her teeth.

“Nox, stop playing around!” Yanderes yelled. “We need to turn it up a notch.” As the dust settled, Gaston would emerge, taking a stance to run towards Yanderes, but he was halted. Something seemed to be grabbing him. As he looked down, he noticed a hand coming out of a black puddle. He knew better than to not inspect Nox, but it was instinct. He checked the character to see the name, Confused. Gaston appeared looking around. He was bewildered. “Where am I? What is this game?” Although Confusion was a regular status effect on monsters, it was usually not as effective on players because it made the Neuropatch 2, modify signals to your brain to create actual confusion. Nox wouldn’t let this opportunity go as his slimy body rose onto Gaston’s, wrapping around him until he covered him completely. When he was finally encased, Nox laughed. His darkened face masked over Gaston’s. “Symbiosis complete! I did it, Yanderes! Look at me!”

Gaston began to dance and wave his hands. Smacking his face and expanding his eyes.

Yanderes shook her head slightly embarrassed by Nox, but was able to recognize the advantage they had just gained. “We got one of the top 10, Mad…” She whispered. We have taken over Gaston.”

Nox using his body, walked Gaston over to Yanderes. “

Above Gaston's head was his health bar. It was slowly ticking down. It seemed that Nox's skill was doing damage. “Lucky for my Symbioses skill, it dwindles the health of whoever we try to subjugate. After when they try to respawn they will be stuck as a spirit, allowing us to take over their bodies. As his final HP left, he would be declared defeated.

Aethera clenched her mace but then loosened. “Gaston…” she said softly.

As Aluxan and Grande looked at Gaston reach Yanderes he'd become spectacle. “What are you playing at Grande?”

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Grande showed no concern. “Watch.”

What would look like a taken-over Gaston approach and even speak as Nox would walk past Yanderes, standing behind her. “Now's not the time for shenanigans!” She yelled in annoyance. “Mad is waiting for us to take over more players!”

Gaston wrapped his arms around her waist with his arms.

“What are you doing,” Yanderes yelled.

“It's not me!” Nox replied. The body would then clench and keep into the air taking Yanderes with it. It then flipped and dropped to the ground. Nox's body was sent flying as a black liquid substance. A body pulsing with static energy emerged. It was Gaston, who had gone through a transformation. On the floor lay Yanderes digitally disintegrating to respawn. As she looked up to Gaston all she could see was a shining figure emanating radiance.

A flame with a will of its burns with desire. And is only put out when it hasn't met its purpose. Right now Gaston’s dying pledge grew him into a formidable form. His pupils couldn't be seen as his eyes shone a golden hue. “Leaving so soon?” He yelled at Yandere's fizzling body. Over her head, he inspected her as it said she was respawned to an unknown location named ???. “We're going back to base Nox!”

Just then Nox formed back into several thousand pieces of black blobs similar to small ball bearings. He began to channel, a teleport. “see you later suckers!”

As the two would disappear Aluxan would look at Grande. “Gladys, why have you come?

“You have a part to play in all of this. You can't ignore that.” She responded. His eyes grew dim.

“I will save all of the people in Peppermint from the likes of Borealis.”

“Alec you know she's trying to help you?”

“I never needed your help or any of you Borealis member's help. I became the richest…”

It was then that Aethera would look up to see Grande pushed by an array of gold. “And the strongest!”

"If I defeat him now, they can never be fixed.” She thought. “There will be no coming back.” she looked towards Gaston and Aethera, quickly appearing in front of them. “It would seem that Humanity's leader may be malfunctioning.” As they looked up towards Aluxan, his body began to transform. Scales would form on his back, and his hands grew massively in size in talons. Two wings broke through his back and as he grabbed the Tower of Dydas, he would wrap around in the form of a dragon.

In Ancoent Stories, it is told that the dragon is a creature of ancient wisdom. Yet one of their moat favorable things is gold. Controlling the avarice of men, was an innate trait of a dragon who deemed itself better than man. A Goldmancer's final ability was to transform, taking on not only the form of a dragon but also to wrap itself in its gold. Aluxan would emerge as Treasure Dragon: Aurgon…There was one more name, a title of sorts that resonated through Grande.

“Now that's a dragon.” Aethera quickly noted with Gaston nodding.

“We must find Madder,” Grande advised. “the worst has come.”

“Madfeather has arrived.” She messeged Madder.

—---

Back in the outer space chamber, Mad would look at Madder. “we do have good taste, don't we?”

She then began to count on her fingers.

“Blackfeather, Madfeather (Aluxan…), and…” With each name a finger to lower.

“Don't you dare say it!” Madder yelled flying towards Mad but she was suddenly holstered back by black tethers.

Mad laughed. “It's too bad you're stuck here. I have an idea.” She raised her hand to her cheek, smugly, rolling her eyes. “Why don't I pay our little friend a visit.”

She then teleported. As she left Madder closed her eyes. “I must trust in him. I must trust he'll stop me!”

—-----

Back in Losember, Diggy would slam his final card on the table. It was a character who transformed into a golden dragon.

“I win!” You will never join humanity. He yelled. “What was it? You quit the game?” He was ecstatic.

As he celebrate, Mad would appear. “Sorry I'm late, could you deal me in?”

There was no time as each player in a 100-kilometer radius of Losember was decimated except Jun, Hagerty, and Diggy. Even the dealer vanished.

She raised her hand with a ball of energy growing she then lowered her head. “What would ending you here do without Madder seeing it!”

“Madder,” Jun thought. “Where is she? I must stop her!”

“Oh?” She then moved her hand, raising Jun into the air. “You're a better bargaining chip than anything.” She grabbed onto Jun and began channeling a teleport skill.

“what are you doing?” he screamed. “unhand me!”

Hagerty rose from his chair and pointed his weapon at Mad. “let ‘em go there Mad-Missy.”

She didn't budge.

Diggy sat in his chair confused. “A deal is a deal! No lifelines!"

“Shut it!” Mad yelled to Diggy, and she waved pushing him to the wall. She looked down at the table and then at Hagerty’s hand and played a card. It wasn't at first in his hand but it was one of his cards transformed. “I can make you win Hagerty, just as always. Join me. Don’t lose like my counterpart.”

“You’re counterpart will do what you couldn’t!”

“And what’s that?”

“Stopping you!” He yelled, firing a shot from his weapon. As she dodged it, it would ricochet off the wall nearing her once again. She would dodge until finally instead of evading she pointed at the bullet stopping it in mid-air. "Bye now." The two disappeared.

----

As Jun opened his eyes, he was in a space he'd never seen, on a table that was seated by several chairs filled with characters. The room was styled in a Victorian dining room style with large windows. He sat helpless and confused in his new becoming's. He looked at a new message that appeared. It was from Madder. "Please trust me when I say this. I will save you. I always have. tried to."

Jun was confused. He was going to stop her, but her message of concern. "Wasn't she trying to take over the world?" A familiar face would emerge over him. It was that of Julia's. "Sir Yggsalad! Are you okay?" She said mockingly.

"Julia?"

"What an idiot." She roared and the group of people began to laugh.

As he looked he would see Nox, Yanderes, and Nero. "Who are you!"

"We are Borealis. Remember? Mad exclaimed. She continued to probe him. "Why don't you remember? Junior? Your father would be thrilled to know your in my hands!"

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

Back in Dydas, the golden dragon would sit at its perch, while anything it touched turned into inanimate gold.

"We must retreat!" Grande said.

"But to where? How do we know we can trust you?" Gaston questioned.

"Right now, there are far more important things than fighting. Also an Aluxan is no longer himself. He is Madfeather."

Aethera knew of Blackfeather, but Madfeather rang very close to the name. She for now let it pass, as Grande would explain. "We have to meet up with Oege and Hagety. Hagerty has Jun and..."

As Aethera checked her friend list she would notice, Jun was no longer in Losember. He was located in an unknown region as her friend list appeared as he was in the Elleon Market's.. "She couldn't have taken him there. Its not even released."

As one could picture, panning out of the area where the Mad's Borealis members sat ,it would lower into the earth until finally it was at the core. The Deepest Dungeon - Horizon.