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We arrived at the open doorway into the garden. A small crowd gathered. Each player scrutinized the PVP area. A few talked in low voices with their team members.

The whole exterior was shrouded in night aside from a few well-placed lanterns which illuminated a small stone pathway snaking its way through the thick vegetation. Four thin arched bridges lead across a large pond onto a cute island that had several tables and chairs set up next to a fake mountain. From our position, we could see the tool kiosk hiding within an overhang.

From the crowds around the other three entrances, it seemed that the competitors had split themselves near evenly between each entrance.

Several people had run into the garden and threw small spells or attacks at each other.

“You see how each team is only sending one person out at a time?” Eldin said.

“Yeah.”

“That’s because they know this is optional and don’t want to risk everyone for a mere tool. But, it’s too useful to not at least try for it.”

“This all still feels like a waste of time and a significant risk we can’t afford,” I murmured.

“In the sim, the higher the risk, the higher the reward.”

“Which tools are we collecting?” Lore asked.

“Pipe Repair, Office Wall, and Painting.”

“Not the one to fix the stove?” I asked.

“The repair tasks get progressively harder.”

“Then why is mopping the floor our second task?”

Eldin grimaced. “That’s what I want to know.”

Two of the players shot wind blades at each other but somehow managed to end them before they touched the environment. That was some impressive control.

“It seems like everyone is pretty distracted by the fighting, right?” Eldin asked.

“Yeah,” I said. It took a second for me to realize that he’d already vanished.

I blinked and shot Lore a questioning glance.

“Just watch.”

While the flashy mage battle distracted most people, I fought through my ‘ooo, shiny’ moment to peer into the shadows and search for our teammate.

If I were a Thief then I’d want to go get to the target quickly and stealthily.

There. On the island, something opened. A light flashed bringing everyone’s attention to the kiosk, but it was already too late as the person who grabbed a tool had already left.

Damn. He’s good.

The fighting started up once more and one of the two mages died. The woman who killed him downed a potion, jumped over to the kiosk, grabbed her prize, and walked out.

“Lore, you go next,” Eldin said beside me and I jerked to peer at his smug-ass face.

When the hell did this guy return? Looked like I needed to get my observation level up as soon as possible.

“Sure,” Lore said.

A few more people started fighting again. Another person desperately managed to get his tool while in the middle of a fight but his opponent stabbed him in the back just before he reached safety. Damn, why didn’t he at least take out a potion or something? Then again, those were expensive.

“Hey, Eldin. What’s the percentage that Lore or I could survive one of those attacks?”

He snorted. “If you take damage, then you’re not a good enough rogue.”

“...”

“Let me spell it out for you. Absolutely, do not get hit. Our classes are not as depressingly awful at taking attacks as mages, but we’re not much better either. Especially when every single person fighting against you is stronger and has better gear.”

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At least he confirmed my opinion.

A flash dashed across a bridge. I could have sworn that I saw the side profile of Lore’s gorgeous face. The man was incredible. Probably better than Eldin. My eyes avoided him, making him seem to vanish yet still physically be there.

Congratulations! After searching for and seeing things you shouldn’t have, you’ve increased your Observe Skill! It is now level 6.

Nice! I had increased it once before during the trip but another increase was always welcome.

Lore returned to my side and I grinned. “Great job!”

He sent me a look that told me he felt sorry for me.

Then Eldin held a ticket out. “You’re next.”

“Ah. You know...” I hedged because I could not do what these two could. My level and skills were definitely not up to their standard.

“Mia.” Lore heartlessly began, “You’re next.”

Motherfuckers!

I grimaced, angrily grabbed the ticket, and considered my options. If I died... I would only ‘not exist’ for six hours. I mean, that sucked but it wasn’t as if existing was all that great anyway? Right? No, it was pretty fucking important.

To prepare, I stretched a little, then I decided on a pathway to take to stay hidden. Unfortunately, I missed the paths Lore and Eldin went so I’d have to come up with my own. Also, I was a magic-user. I had invisibility. Granted, I couldn’t use it all the time but if I used it sparingly and at specific locations maybe this could work? If I played it smart.

For a wild moment, I thought about teleporting up to the kiosk, grabbing a tool then teleporting back... the issue was that I had a 10 second cooldown, which was fairly large when in the middle of a fight between players who all had higher levels and AOE spells I couldn’t dodge. I had to use it sparingly, and only when it mattered.

After breathing out all my stress, I squeezed my way past a couple of people, reaching the left side of the doorway.

Everybody on the sidelines could see me and their faces changed from watching the fight to staring at me as if I were an easy target.

I peered towards the bushes to the left searching for a spot to jump to. Then I turned invisible.

Using all of the stealth skills and knowledge I possessed, I quickly tiptoed to the right of the doorway. Magical blasts and arrows bombarded the opposite side. Aftershocks shook all nearby plants, allowing me to successfully hide behind some tall landscaped bushes.

Just before I ran out of mana, I released my invisibility. A stray arrow zoomed past my cheek causing me to break out in a cold sweat. I stilled, waiting for more attacks to come at me, but none did.

If that arrow hadn’t missed, and if I hadn’t fooled everyone I’d be dead. This also told me that the people fighting paid attention to those few players near the door, even during their fight. The hell, man? How could these people notice so much?

While being careful to not bring attention to my location, I skulked further into the garden. But there was a problem. I needed to cross the bright-ass pathway and go up the bridge.

Of course, as I dealt with this crisis, the main fight was heating up.

The five players currently battling slowly depleted each other’s health. One of them suddenly used a movement technique to rush back into the safe zone, leaving just four guys fighting. Those combatants inched their way toward the kiosk.

I waited until they were the most distracted, right as an archer took a magic fireball to the face. The last few percentage points of his health vanished while he flew several yards then plummeted into the pond.

The large splash caught everyone’s attention allowing me to freely cast invisibility and use a short teleport to step onto the island. I dove into the tall grass near the fake mountain before I ran out of mana.

Fortunately, the players didn’t notice.

This was my chance to simultaneously wait for teleport to come off cooldown while I studied their fighting patterns.

One of the mages shot a lightning bolt at the sword warrior he was battling then bolted out of the fight and did a sliding dive into the safe zone. This left just two guys. The sword warrior against some kind of knight mage.

Since there were fewer distractions, I did my best impression of the tall grass I crouched in. Whoosh. Rustle, Rustle, Rustle, I thought.

Finally, the sword warrior used some kind of technique to kick the knight mage off the island and beyond the bridge. He jammed his ticket into the slot. Meanwhile, the knight mage decided to book it back to the entryway.

Some of the people in the rooms took pot-shots at him by exiting for a second, shooting, and jumping back in.

Damn. They’d probably done that to me.

The guy who won grabbed his tool and walked off the island. I took my chance and brought out my own ticket. Stealthily, I inched my way up to the dark kiosk and placed it inside the slot.

Thank you for using your ticket! The Room Painting Tool has been added to your inventory.

The kiosk flashed, just like I’d seen it do for every other person who’d managed to get a tool, then I rolled, dodging the raging ball of fire that flew towards me and splattered against the fake mountain.

I didn’t bother to look at who attacked me, instead, I used teleport to reach the entrance of the safe zone, to a spot right beside Lore.

My heart raced and refused to stop. I turned to look at the person who’d just lit the mountain on fire. The figure of Whiterabbitsbane appeared behind the mage. He grabbed his shoulder and they disappeared. I doubted that we’d see him again.

Well, we all had our tools. Now what? Stay and watch the others either die or use their ticket?

I kind of wanted to but Lore tightly held my hand. “You took a little too much time, but it worked out in the end. Good job, Mia.”

As I stared into his seductive eyes, my heart raced for a different, stupider, reason.

“Let’s go,” Eldin said, breaking me out of my dumb state.