As the quartet ventured deeper into the heart of Gear Savannah, the air grew cooler and the landscape shifted, becoming a blend of wild nature and abandoned machinery. Marshmallow walked alongside Dam, eager to learn more about his enigmatic companion.

"So, Dam," Marshmallow began, "how did you end up in this Survivor Game madness?"

Direct. Uninhibited. No beating around the bush. That's how Marshmallow kicked things off with Dam, who was taken aback.

"Don't you have any sense of privacy? What if I'm here because I'm threatened with death? What if I'm here because I had no other choice? You know, anyone who's here is an outcast for some odd reason. People face this madness because they have no choice or out of some mad patriotism. Are you one of them?"

Marshmallow sighed. "I was the one asking the question, but I guess I should've expected a counter-question like that. You've seen it, right? You've seen I'm a Jolly Rank. My life back in Pancrazia was hell. I felt like a slave. But here, I feel... free. I don't have nasty Loan Sharks on my tail, no responsibility for taking care of my sick mother, and no society trying to suck me into the gambling vortex. With this answer, I've told you everything and nothing about my life. Now, it's your turn."

Dam had listened attentively, and now he was looking into the distance as if searching for the right words. "You're such a pain... alright then. It was the only way out, Marsh. I'm just like you; I ran away from my reality. My life in Pancrazia had become unbearable. Between legal troubles and my financial ventures, I needed a reset. They used to call me the Finance Wizard, I could make money appear and disappear as if by magic. But in the end, my magic turned against me."

Marshmallow was captivated. "Well, still better than living as a slave like I did. In my case, I didn't get to choose; I was thrown into a pit of muck out of the blue. My father killed himself shortly after the war started, from that moment on, I had no choice but to work, work, and work some more. You at least got to choose to get yourself into trouble. And tell me, don't you miss it? That life of adventure, I mean."

"Sometimes," Dam admitted. "But here, every day is a new challenge. You were right about one thing, Marsh. There's true freedom here. The kind of freedom to do what you want, to be who you want to be. Here you either live or die, there's no other choice. I've always wanted to do as I please in life. Now I'm here and paying the consequences. I know I'll almost certainly die, but I'll keep going till the end, I plan to stay true to myself, whatever the cost."

Their conversation was interrupted by the sight they were approaching: the Tower of Metal Moose. The structure stood imposingly before them, a marvel of engineering that fused victorian elements with the brutality of industrial design. At its peak, as if to watch over the entire Gear Savannah, sat the sculpture of a mechanical moose, whose eyes seemed to glow with their own light.

"Here it is, we've arrived," Marshmallow said in awe. He had listened intently to Dam's words. Here was a man who had gambled so much that he was left with nothing but his life to play with. Just like Marshall Merson. Marshall Merson had to transform into Marshmallow for one last, desperate chance to rise from the ashes.

He wouldn't waste it. He was sure of that.

Dam managed a smile. "Seems like it. Let's just hope the inside is less daunting than it looks."

As they approached the base of the Tower of Metal Moose, the group paused for a moment, allowing the grandeur of the building to envelop them. Eldrin stopped and turned to his companions. "Well, guys, it's time for me to say goodbye," he said with a voice that wavered between melancholy and resolve.

The Goat Horse, surprised, raised his equine eyebrows. "What do you mean? Aren't you coming with us inside the tower?"

Eldrin shook his head. "We agreed to bring you here, to the base of the tower. I might not have mentioned it, but my role is the guardian of Gear Savannah. The rules prevent me from entering the Tower of Metal Moose. However, I'm not leaving you empty-handed." With a dramatic gesture, he took off his backpack and handed it to the group.

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

Marshmallow, with a mix of surprise and gratitude, accepted the backpack. "You really want to give us your tools?"

Eldrin nodded, smiling. "Of course! Inside, you'll also find three of my healing potions. They're quite rare, so use them wisely and don't waste them, I implore you."

The group gathered around Eldrin, exchanging handshakes and looks full of unspoken words. Despite the adversities, they had formed an unbreakable bond, forged in the fires of battle and the adrenaline of adventure.

The Goat Horse was tasked with carrying Eldrin's backpack. After a final farewell, the group split into two. The first, consisting of Marshmallow, Dam, and Goat Horse, headed towards the Tower of Metal Moose. The second, consisting solely of Eldrin, took the opposite direction, back to the hut. At that moment, a screen appeared in front of Marshmallow's eyes.

Eldrin leave the party!

Eldrin, you've been a great help. Thank you for everything.

As the group was about to cross the threshold of the tower, they suddenly stopped when a familiar figure appeared on the horizon, approaching with determined steps. A hunting rifle, military attire, and two crimson eyes that would be recognizable among millions. There was no doubt, it was Samantheye. Her appearance immediately captured everyone's attention.

"Samantheye!" Marshmallow exclaimed.

With an expression balanced between frustration and urgency, Samantheye joined the group, her crimson eyes scanning each member before settling on Marshmallow, also noticing the additional member.

"We're two days late," she said calmly yet firmly. "We were supposed to meet two days ago, but the war situation among the biomachines made the Tower of Metal Moose practically unreachable. Yesterday, I realized that the biomachines, which had been fighting relentlessly, suddenly became docile. Was that your doing?"

"Oh, absolutely. It's mostly the handiwork of OK Damage here, but you can call me Dam. Marshmallow kept the secret of such a splendid meeting from me. Delighted to meet you, Samantheye. A rare gem of beauty," Dam stepped forward with his three tails swaying ecstatically.

With swift motion, Samantheye drew her rifle and pressed its barrel into Dam's mouth with surgical precision. The move was so fast that even a B Rank like Dam couldn't pull back in time, and his eyes widened in shock. What kind of absurd Dexterity stat did this girl have?

"Back off. I'm not here to mess around. We have more serious matters to attend to."

The beautiful crimson eyes of the girl suddenly turned as cold as ice. It was clear: even though Dam was a teammate, the riflewoman wouldn't hesitate to pull the trigger. Finding himself tasting the cold metal of the rifle, Dam backed off with a dazed expression. He wasn't used to being rebuffed with such determination.

"Hey, hey, let's take it easy," Marshmallow intervened, stepping between the two with his hands raised, trying to lighten the mood. "Samantheye, thanks for waiting for us; it was an unexpected situation. We had to complete a quest to thin out the machine war. It took us two days."

Samantheye lowered the rifle. "Call me Sam. Anyway, I have news," she said with a gravity that made the group hold their breath. "News that might change everything for us. There's a high chance that the enemy Jolly Rank is nearby."

Those words rang like an alarm bell, flooding Marshmallow's mind with a wave of anxiety and apprehension. "The Jolly Rank? Here?" His voice betrayed a hint of disbelief mixed with fear. "But why here, in this remote place?"

Samantheye tightened her grip on her rifle as her crimson eyes hardened. "I'm not entirely sure, but my Red Eye Revelation doesn't make mistakes. I clearly saw a Player who could fly and manipulate sand at the same time. I'm a B Rank; I know how Unique Skills work, and those are two distinct Unique Skills. Only a Jolly Rank could have more than one, so it was definitely him, no doubt about it. However, he was so far away I couldn't get a good look at his face, so I'm not sure I'd recognize him."

"There's no need. It's definitely him, and his name is BloodLust," Dam interjected, his expression changing. From his usual sly demeanor, he now had the look of a tiger. "If he really is nearby, we need to brace for the worst. There are four of us, and I'm also a B Rank, but he's worth at least forty of us combined. He's not an opponent we can take on. If he finds us, our only option would be to flee. Facing him would be suicidal, and we'd only end up making him stronger."

The silence that fell over the group was thick with tension, each member frozen, absorbing the gravity of Dam's words. Marshmallow's heart raced, aware that the threat of BloodLust was far beyond their current capabilities. "So... what do we do?" he asked, trying to keep his voice steady.

"Nothing. We go in. If we encounter him, we'll deal with it then," Sam stated bluntly, starting to move forward. The others were momentarily taken aback but then followed her lead, aligning with her pace.