As they approached the camp, Valenius could see figures moving among the tents. Suddenly, Olenius began chanting, summoning bolts of lightning that struck the ground.

Flames erupted, consuming the trees and surrounding campsites. Amidst the chaos, Salintus’s voice rang out, shouting commands to his people.

Fire began to swirl around Valenius, but before it could fully encircle him, Olenius dispelled the flames. Valenius seized the moment and was about to strike when Eleantra intervened, knocking the sword from his grasp.

Her attention wavered, distracted by Salintus’s conjured flames. Valenius, seeing his chance, charged at Eleantra, tackling her to the ground. She retaliated with a powerful strike across his face, sending him sprawling.

Valenius staggered back, dazed, and saw Salintus locked in battle. Blades clashed as Salintus skillfully dodged and countered, but the chaos had spread through the camp. Shouts of pain filled the air as flames consumed tents and people were struck down amidst the violence.

Suddenly, a deafening screech pierced the sky, louder than anything Valenius had ever heard.

His ears rang with pain as he looked up, spotting something massive approaching from above.

Dark clouds churned, and from them emerged a colossal figure — a dragon, its scales dark black, its eyes red glowing with an ominous light.

The ground shook as it landed, its wings casting a shadow over the battlefield.

Valenius’s legs trembled as the dragon roared, flames licking the air around it. But something even more terrifying followed: a shadowy figure descended from the dragon’s back.

Clad in black, armored gear with thorns jutting from a twisted crown, the figure approached, each step slow. In its hand, it gripped a sword, black as night.

The figure’s red eyes locked on him as it marched toward Salintus, who had fallen to the ground in pain, clutching his side. The figure moved faster now.

The flames, now intensified, began scorching Olenius. He writhed in pain as the heat seared his flesh, he was flung into the air, crashing down unconscious.

The dragon's relentless flames ravaged the camp.

Valenius watched in horror as the dark figure advanced toward Olenius. The figure lifted him effortlessly by the throat, the black sword glinting.

Olenius, gasping for breath, whispered, "Master, I'm sorry..." With a single motion, it flung Olenius against a nearby tree, snapping bones with a sickening crunch. Olenius’s limp body was tossed aside like a rag doll, lifeless.

Eleantra, still recovering from her earlier assault, tried to stand and fight, but the figure struck her down with a swift blow.

She collapsed, paralyzed. As Valenius, bloodied and dazed, struggled to his feet, he reached for his sword.

The dark figure Xansitus approached Valenius, disarming him with a single, effortless swing before Valenius could even raise his weapon. It grabbed him by the head, its iron grip slowly crushing his skull, agony radiating through Valenius’s body.

But just as it seemed Valenius’s end was near, the figure paused. Flames, dark and red, flickered in its hands.

With a sudden, violent shove, Xansitus hurled Valenius to the ground, the impact leaving him breathless. Chanting under its breath,

Xansitus placed its hand on the earth. Cracks splintered across the ground, rippling outwards through the camp.

Valenius, struggling to rise, glanced around. Salintus lay nearby, wounded, with his people scattered and broken. Desperation hung thick in the air as Valenius took in the full scope of the devastation around him. Then, without warning, the ground beneath him gave way, crumbling into darkness, and Valenius plunged into the abyss.

Valenius floated barely above the water, his strength waning as he slipped towards unconsciousness.

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Just as he was about to surrender to the darkness, a hand emerged from the shadows, lifting his head gently.

The figure, appearing behind him, carefully pulled Valenius from the water.

When Valenius awoke, he found himself in the safety of a dimly lit cave. He gasped for breath, his chest rising and falling heavily.

Across the room, Val was seated against the far wall, watching him with a somber expression.

"How did you find me? Why are you here?" Valenius asked, his voice hoarse.

Val looked up and responded, "I only found you because my system notified me of someone in my cave. The prompt wouldn’t go away, so I decided to investigate. I found you unconscious at the entrance and brought you inside."

Valenius glanced down at himself and noticed his top was missing. He spotted it hanging near a desk, drying. As he looked back at Val, he saw a look of regret in his eyes.

"I can see the changes since we last met," Val said quietly. "I wish we hadn’t parted so abruptly. I didn’t mean to hurt you, and the events that followed were beyond my control. I’m sorry I wasn’t there to help you more."

Valenius shook his head. "There’s no need to apologize. I still don’t understand what the game wants from me. I’ve become stronger, faster, and more fit for this world, but I’m still left in the dark about its true intentions. There are no clear signs."

Remembering the recent attack, Valenius asked, "Do you know anything about Xansitus and his puppet, Olenius? We were ambushed, and I nearly died because of them. That’s how I ended up in the lake near the cave."

Val’s expression darkened. "I don’t know much about Xansitus, only that he is an incredibly powerful and feared entity. Death follows him wherever he goes. Olenius is just a puppet, a tool for Xansitus will. It’s rare for someone to survive encounters with either of them."

Valenius pondered this, feeling the weight of the information. "Is he like us? From Earth?"

Val looked thoughtful. "No one truly knows for sure. There are countless rumors and different stories. But I do know that if he was once from Earth, that part of him is long gone. He's been in this world too long, leaving chaos and death in his wake. Wherever he goes, destruction follows. It doesn't matter where he came from anymore—only what he has become now."

Val continued, “we stand little chance against him. Xansitus has been here for so long that he’s become incredibly powerful. He controls dangerous creatures, even dragons, which serve as his pets. They won’t fight against him, and neither will anyone else."

Valenius frowned, "How did he become so powerful?"

Val continued, "Remember when I told you that people in this world fear the destruction we could cause? That’s exactly what I meant. Xansitus embodies that fear. He possesses the power to obliterate this world if he chose to. People follow him and listen to him because it’s a way to keep the world safe from his wrath. That’s the reality we’re dealing with now."

Valenius replied, "You think that’s the reason I was sent here—to stop him, to end this fear, and bring peace to the game? You think that’s my purpose?"

Val looked at Valenius, then glanced up at the ceiling, deep in thought.

Finally, he nodded. "Yes, I do believe that could be why you're here. But there’s no one strong enough to face him alone, especially not you, not yet. If that’s your path, you need to explore, train, meet people, and learn about this world. Because even if you do your best, rushing into battle against him would be a death sentence. I don’t want that for you. Promise me, find a way to get back home. Stay safe. This may be why you’re here, but it’s not worth dying over."

Valenius nodded slowly. "And what about you, Val? What have you been up to since I left?"

"Nothing much, like you," Val replied, "just surviving. I’ve been learning, reading, talking to people. Recently, I arrived back in earth in this big city. The noise, the traffic, the chaos—it overwhelmed me. So many people rushing around, glued to their phones, oblivious to the world around them, looking sad, busy, but without a moment for themselves. There's as much violence here as in our world, if not more. Things have changed dramatically since I've been gone. I never want to go back."

"And since I last saw you?" Val asked, genuinely curious.

"Exactly what you’d expect," Valenius continued, "I trained, but I didn’t stray too far. When I did, I encountered a dragon-like creature. I found Salintus people—Eleantra—they were there, but I don’t know why. We were attacked, she came back, and then Xansitus hit us. I barely survived and found out Volien was Eleantra in disguise."

Valenius tried to stand but collapsed to the ground in pain, his ribs aching. He looked at his bruised, battered body, struggling to breathe.

Val chuckled softly. "I see you've been putting that gauntlet to good use. You're figuring out its capabilities, huh?"

He watched as items and recipes appeared on the gauntlet’s interface. "You should scan yourself," Val suggested. "See how much you’ve progressed in strength, speed, intelligence—all of it."

"Scan myself? Why would I do that?" Valenius scratched his head, puzzled.

"So you can track your growth," Val explained. "See how far you've come."

Valenius activated the gauntlet, navigating through the menus until he found the status option. He scanned himself, surprised to find a detailed overview of his abilities and progress. "Wow," he muttered. "It’s more even than I thought."

"Exactly," Val nodded. "But tell me, have you ever wondered why certain recipe items appear when you need them most? There are still mysteries left to uncover with that gauntlet. Keep an eye on it. You never know when it’ll save you next—just like it has before."

"So, what’s the plan once he’s healed up? What do you intend to do?"

Valenius shook his head and replied, "I’m not too sure yet. I want to find Voilen, get stronger, improve... and then, at the very least, be prepared if I ever come across that Xansitus again.”