Arnold, running through the digital trees, speaks to himself:

— I have to find the girl. Otherwise, she'll end up getting herself in trouble again... She doesn’t even know how to fight. She's just an NPC... and I just activated a code that prevents dead NPCs from respawning. I can’t let her die... she’s not even part of my story!

He runs, rushing, until he sees a familiar figure.

— Aaah, it’s her! What is she doing?! Is she trying to fight a BOSS?! She can’t do that alone!

He draws his sword and charges at full speed, plunging the blade straight into the monster’s stomach.

Noa: — Why... why are you helping me?

Arnold: — Because if you die, you won’t come back. And... I activated that code.

Noa: — But I’m just a bunch of code. This has nothing to do with you...

Arnold: — Forget it.

Arnold leaps onto the boss, runs across its back and, with a precise spin, slices its neck. The monster disintegrates into shining data particles.

Silence. The mist begins to dissipate.

Arnold (catching his breath): — We did it... But this isn’t over, is it?

Noa (panting, sitting beside him): — They're still after me... and now after you too. Congrats, heir.

Arnold (raising an eyebrow): — That sounded sarcastic.

Noa (crossing her arms): — Because it was.

The fire crackles in the distance. A strange silence fills the space.

Arnold (holding the Magil fragment): — This fragment... you weren’t supposed to have it, right?

Noa: — And you should stop sticking your nose into other people’s lives.

Arnold (dryly): — I saved you.

Noa (turning away): — I... would’ve figured it out.

But she trembles. Arnold notices.

Arnold (lowering his tone): — You’re afraid... of being deleted, right?

Noa (voice trembling with anger): — This might be just a game to you... But for me, it’s all there is.

Arnold (regretfully): — And if I log out... maybe you’ll disappear. Is that it?

She doesn’t answer. But the answer is in her empty gaze.

Suddenly, a metallic rumble.

[System: Emergency Event – “Root of the Abyss” has appeared. Type: Corrupted Guardian]

Arnold (shouting): — GREAT! Just finished a death run, and now a mutant plant?

The ground shakes. A massive creature sprouts from the earth — enormous, made of dark roots and pulsating red energy eyes.

Noa (in shock): — A guardian? That’s not even supposed to spawn in this city!

Arnold: — It doesn’t care about rules... just like me in PvP.

They both prepare. Arnold activates the Shadow Mist Slash. Noa begins casting elemental magic.

Noa: — You go for the front, I’ll try to freeze the roots!

Arnold: — Thought you didn’t like help!

Noa (shouting): — I just don’t like idiots! NOW GO!

The battle erupts. Tentacles lash out like whips. Thorns fly everywhere. Arnold protects Noa as she shouts a spell, freezing parts of the creature. Arnold charges, leaps, spins — and with a final strike, shatters the creature’s central crystal.

[System: Emergency Event Completed – EXP +3200 | Affinity with Noa increased]

They both collapse against the ruins.

Arnold: — Alright... That was insane.

Noa (exhausted): — You’re not as useless as you look.

Arnold: — Thanks... I guess?

She looks at him, for the first time without sarcasm.

Noa (calmer): — If you leave the game... promise me something?

Arnold: — Anything... except dating an NPC.

Noa (smirking slightly): — Promise me you’ll find a way... to get me out of here.

Arnold stares into her eyes. For the first time, he sees a real request... not from a line of code, but from someone trying to be more than that.

Arnold (serious): — I... promise.