(THANK YOI GUYS FOR 22.4k?!?! YOU GUYS MEAN THE WORLD TO MEE!!)

You somehow managed to secure the crystal for Urbanshade, but arriving at the dock, bloodied and barely able to stand after the monsters’ relentless attacks, you froze. Urbanshade workers were waiting for you, weapons raised, their betrayal clear in their eyes. They’d promised freedom—but it was all a lie. Panic surged through you as you turned back into the depths of the hadal blacksite, clutching the crystal. Urbanshade guards followed but met their own gruesome fates, torn apart by the creatures lurking below.

You staggered through the corridors, every step slower as your injuries weighed you down. By the time you reached Door 60, darkness was closing in. Desperately, you found a ‘safe’ corner and collapsed, unconscious.

When you finally woke, everything was… different. Your heart pounded, and a wave of pain crashed over you, pinning you down. A familiar voice broke the silence.

“Don’t try to move… you’ll only make it worse.”

Before you could process, a second voice, robotic yet playful, chimed in with a chuckle. “Come on, don’t be such a grump. Let them rest.”

Recognition hit. The first voice was Sebastian Solace, the shopkeeper who traded critical items for the documents you’d gathered. The second was Painter, who’d helped you find that elusive key card. You wanted to see them, to confirm it was really them, but the agony held you in place, trapping you in a haze of pain.