"SUMMER!"
A strong voice called out from the back of the tavern, echoing above the noise.
The enchanting blonde turned her head toward the direction of the voice as the bar owner reappeared near the curtains, calling again, "A VIP is waiting!"
Summer turned to the table with a gentle, apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, girls… but I have to go." Her voice still lingered with the soft sweetness of her song. "Oh, and it was nice meeting you, Ali." Her head turned ever so slightly in his direction, and her smile reached her closed eyes like a final gift before Jasmine stood to guide her back through the maze of tables.
'She doesn't just have a magical voice, she has the power of mind control. When she was singing every single person except for me all reacted the exact same to every note of her voice, that isn't possible even if everyone liked the song, humans have different specific preferences to even the notes of a song and yet every player in the bar seemed to have the exact same preferences? I don't think so….She lulled them under her control.', Ali thought.
The moment she disappeared behind the curtains, Rose sighed and set down her wine glass, the rim still damp with her lipstick. "She's changed a lot since she lost her sight."
Ali leaned back in his chair, finishing the last thick slice of steak as if he didn't just eat enough food for ten people like it was nothing. "Was it a trade? For her voice?"
Rose nodded, brushing her short hair behind her ear. "Yeah. She used to be completely normal—timid, even. She wouldn't go anywhere alone. But then one day she came back… blind. Said it was worth it for the gift she got in return."
"She's different now. More withdrawn, always busy," Evelyn added, her arms crossed under her chest as she watched the curtain thoughtfully. "Hard to get a hold of her."
"At least now she's safe," Rose said. "She's registered as a craftsman. Doesn't need to go into any of the dangerous worlds anymore. And you saw for yourself how much people love her."
Jasmine finally returned to the table, sliding into her chair with a grin still tugging at her lips. "She said she's writing a new song. Asked if she could try it on us first next week."
"You're close to her," Ali observed.
"I try to be. She needs people around her, even if she pretends she doesn't," Jasmine said with surprising maturity. Then her tone shifted as her curiosity sparked again. "Hey, Ali… are you entering the gate?"
"Yes." Ali's answer was as cool and assured as ever. His eyes swept across the table, landing briefly on each woman—but he lingered a second longer on Evelyn.
"No way, not me," Jasmine said with an exaggerated shiver. "It's way too dangerous! I value my life, thank you."
"I am," Rose said, setting her glass down. "Joined a squad from the Adventurer's Guild. Smart people. We're not taking stupid risks."
"I'm not," Evelyn said smoothly, her tone steady. "But the others in my guild are. You should be careful. Your bounty is higher than ever now."
"Isn't it a little weird, putting a bounty on your own boyfriend?", Jasmine asked.
"It's hot.", Ali said.
Evelyn smiled sweetly and looked Ali in the eyes…
"Rose, they're flirting again. Do something," Jasmine groaned dramatically, covering her face with her hands as the two girls laughed.
The evening passed in pleasant conversation. Drinks were sipped, dessert was shared, and laughter came easy. Eventually, Rose and Jasmine excused themselves for the night, giving Evelyn one last teasing glance before slipping out into the night air.
Now alone, Ali and Evelyn walked together down the quieter roads of Paradise, the moonlight washing everything in a soft silver glow. Evelyn held onto his arm, leaning close, her body naturally curling against his side. The silky fabric of her skirt brushed against his leg, and he could feel the warmth of her body even through the layers of clothing.
"Ali," she said softly, as if afraid of breaking the peace of the moment. "Aren't you even a little scared… that I might be pregnant?"
Ali looked down at her, his expression unreadable. "No," he said, calm and unwavering.
'Of course not,' he thought to himself. 'I'm almost biologically infertile. My sperm's energy is too strong—hyperactive. It attacks the egg like it's a threat… But there's still a sliver of a chance.'
Evelyn raised her brow slightly, sensing there was more to his answer than he let on. "So… you knew players can't get pregnant on the second level?"
"No," he said again, with the same emotionless bluntness.
She stopped walking and stared at him. "Wait—you mean to tell me you filled me up like that without even knowing?"
"Yup." Ali's reply was indifferent. "We're here."
They stood in front of the of the Death Guild's headquarters. Standing near the entrance, pretending not to notice them, was the same boy who'd used his clones to pull a gun on Ali.
The moment the kid saw Ali, he turned away and tried to act invisible.
Ali didn't even spare him another glance.
Instead, he turned to Evelyn and without hesitation, pulled her by the waist. She looked up at him, her full lips parting slightly, her breath warm and fast.
He kissed her deeply.
It was slow, commanding, and passionate. Her arms wrapped around his neck as she melted into him, her body curling into his like a flame finding its match. She didn't want to let go—but when she finally pulled back, breathless, she left him with a lingering kiss on the cheek.
Her lips brushed against his ear whispering something to him…
With one last sultry glance over her shoulder, she walked into the Death Guild with a sway of her hips, the kid silently following behind her with a pale face.
Ali watched her until she disappeared from sight. Then, without a word, he turned and stepped into the alley beside the building.
His boot hit the stone pavement—
And instantly, the ground gave way.
There was no floor beneath him.
It was gone—replaced by a swirling black portal, silent and seamless.
From the rooftop above, the Death Sisters who'd been watching lost sight of him.
They looked around, searching their surroundings.
Then—
SWOOOOOOSH
A new black rift opened right in the space between them.
And from it, a hand emerged—Its middle finger stood up.
The portal sealed itself with a soft hum, vanishing like a dream fading into dawn. On the rooftop above, the Death Sisters stood stunned and speechless, eyes scanning the space he'd disappeared from. All except one.
The elder sister didn't move. A faint smile curved beneath the black veil over her lips. She turned her head, slowly and precisely, toward a rooftop over a hundred meters away—exactly where Ali stepped out from another portal.
She was the elder sister for a reason.
Back home, Ali didn't so much as glance at his bed. He walked straight through his hallway, opened the glass door to the garden, and stepped out into the dark. With no hesitation, he undressed until he stood bare-chested in only his underwear, the chill of the night air doing nothing to his flawless physique.
Without ceremony, he summoned his lightsaber. The hilt gleamed in the soft moonlight. In his other hand, his inverted spear of heaven with the long thousand-mile chain appeared, and it immediately began floating around him—controlled entirely by his telekinesis.
Then he began.
Blade in hand, chain dancing in the air, Ali moved like a phantom. Each motion was fluid, efficient, and lethal. His lightsaber carved through the air with perfect angles, while the spear spun and cracked the wind like a whip guided by invisible strings. Every turn, twist, and block was a test of coordination that no other man could handle. And yet Ali did it like breathing.
He trained like that for hours.
Only pausing to consume massive amounts of food and water to maintain the energy needed for such an intense routine. His regenerative body absorbed and converted the fuel instantly, and even after hours of sweat-inducing movement, his skin remained dry—his muscles pristine.
His stamina was superhuman. As long as there was food in his system, his body would not allow fatigue.
VOOOOM
A low hum in the sky snapped Ali's attention upward. Above his house, a small black drone shimmered into view as it deactivated its cloak, its rotors humming softly. It hovered at face level before ascending and veering toward his front door.
Ali blinked the spear and lightsaber out of existence and threw on a casual clothes and black hood. He opened the front door and followed the subtle buzz of the drone's fans.
For half an hour, he trailed the sound. The drone led him through narrow alleyways and across shaded streets, deeper into the player district—far from the busy centre of Paradise.
Finally, it stopped.
Ali found himself standing in front of a house identical to his own—same layout, same build. The drone lowered again to face level, hovered momentarily, then drifted slowly to the front door.
The door creaked open with a mechanical hiss.
Ali approached with caution, but the moment he peered inside, he stopped dead in his tracks.
Two heavy-duty turret systems lowered from the ceiling. The matte-black cannons aimed squarely at his head—each with the firepower to destroy a tank. Their glowing red sights locked onto him instantly.
His eyes then tracked downward.
Thin red laser beams crisscrossed every inch of the floor, forming a deadly web. Tripwires linked to high-yield explosives were embedded along the edges of every wall—at least two dozen by Ali's count. One step in the wrong place would blow the entire house sky-high.
'What the hell is this?' Ali's mind raced. 'This isn't even security—it's suicidal. Even the person who set it up can't walk through this death trap.'
Then he noticed movement.
Four spider-like bots, each no larger than a dinner plate, skittered along the floor. Their blue eyes projected glowing scans over the walls and explosives. Some carried tools. Others had weapons mounted directly to their backs.
There was no furniture. No signs of a lived-in home. Just this mechanised fortress designed for one purpose: deterrence.
STEP… STEP…
Heavy metallic footsteps echoed from the second floor.
Ali didn't move.
From the shadow of the staircase, a humanoid robot stepped into view. It was human size, made entirely of sleek metal limbs threaded with glowing blue circuitry. In its chest, a rotating blue core spun quietly, emitting the soft hum of immense energy—like a miniature reactor.
The light in its eyes pulsed in rhythm with its core. Ali recognised the sound. The exact same signature he'd sensed when the hooded robot interrupted his standoff with King Atreus.
The machine looked at him, then smiled—a perfect, humanlike simulation of expression on its otherwise artificial face. It clapped its hands together.
At once, every trap in the room deactivated.
The turrets slid back into the ceiling. The lasers blinked out. The spider drones decloaked and crawled down from the walls, vanishing behind floor panels.
In the sudden silence, the robot bowed slightly.
"Please follow me to my maker," it said in a playful tone.
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Damn it feels good to post twice in one day, would I do it tomorrow🤔
Please donate some of your power stones, it would help my ff massively.
Five chapters ahead of webnovel on patreon.com/Rondo312