Waking up to sunlight warming my face was a welcome change of pace. Last night had been… incredible. I rolled over, ready to say as much, but instead of a sleeping Mei, a florally decorated lacquer hair comb rested on her pillow.

  A small slip of paper lay beneath it, bearing only two words: “Remember me.”

  My chest tightened. I brushed my thumb along the smooth lacquer, letting out a slow breath. Tucker’s presence tugged at the edge of my awareness from the other room, but I lingered on the comb a moment longer before whispering, “I will.”

  I slipped it into my inventory, dressed, and tightened the last strap of my gear when Tucker’s voice echoed in my mind.

  “Are you done mating yet?”

  Balt chimed in right behind him, deadpan.

  “Yeah, Riven, are you done mating yet?”

  I closed my eyes, exhaled through my nose, and prepared myself for the day, and for dealing with those two.

  I stepped into the living room to find Balt and Tucker already sprawled out as if they owned the place. Both of them looked up the moment I entered, wearing identical smirks that made me want to turn around and walk right back out.

  “Don’t you two comedians have anything else to do this morning,” I said, “like allocating your tournament bonuses?”

  Balt shrugged. “We were about to, but Lawson told us to meet here.”

  “Why?”

  A ripple of energy brushed the air, and Lawson appeared beside the dining table as if he’d been standing there the whole time. “Because,” he said, “I need to go over several things with all of you. Everyone take a seat.”

  We settled in. Balt leaning back like he was about to nap, Tucker sitting upright and alert, and me bracing for whatever came next.

  Lawson’s eyes landed on me first. “Riven. Is your soul recovered?”

  I pulled up my tree, scanning the branches and nodes. Everything glowed steady and whole. “Yeah. It’s recovered.”

  He nodded once. “Good. Then here’s the short version: the laurel key you received, combined with the sector keys you collected, will allow me to send you to the next floor today.”

  Balt perked up. “Where to next? The middle of a volcano? Do we have to battle magma sharks to get out?”

  Tucker tilted his head. “What’s a magma shark?”

  “Balt is just messing around,” I said.

  Lawson didn’t miss a beat. “Those creatures do exist, actually. But no, I’m not sending you there.” His gaze swept across all three of us, measuring, weighing. “I’m sending you back to your original Tutorial.”

  My eyes went wide. Balt straightened. Tucker’s tail thumped once against the floor.

  “That’s right,” Lawson continued. “I’m sending you back to the dungeon world where all of this began. All you have to do is reach the first-floor portal. Once you do, the system will consider this iteration of Overseer Dungeon Tutorial training complete.”

  A slow grin pulled at my mouth. My fist clenched with a surge of adrenaline and something dangerous. I looked over at Balt.

  “Finally,” I said, smiling. “We’re going back.”

  The room settled into a quiet hum as the weight of Lawson’s announcement sank in. I leaned forward, elbows on my knees.

  “If we could’ve left last night, why did we wait until today?”

  “To let your soul heal,” Lawson said without hesitation. “And to give you some much?needed rest. Because once I send you back…” His eyes hardened. “There will be no breaks until you either die or defeat the dungeon.”

  Balt let out a low whistle. Tucker’s ears twitched.

  Lawson continued, “Now, there’s something you need to understand. When you enter Floor One, you will experience a small tribulation.”

  I frowned. “A tribulation?”

  “Yes.” He clasped his hands behind his back. “Potions you attained during the tutorial, as well as all unequipped gear, except for soulbound items, will be rendered inert. You’ll also notice the system becoming more strict. No more exceptions. No more conveniently perfect loot drops.”

  Balt shot upright. “So what about all the credits?!”

  “Those too will be gone,” Lawson said. “The tribulation will hit like a lightning strike, something you should be familiar with Balt, and your inventory will be cleared. This is part of the agreement the System made to allow you three to participate in the Overseer Tutorial.”

  Balt groaned. Tucker looked uninterested. I just sat back, letting the reality settle in. No safety nets. No shortcuts. Not exactly starting from zero, but not having healing potions more than anything was a blow.

  Just us… and the dungeon. Balt had his head in his hands. “All those credits… gone.”

  I clapped Balt on the shoulder. “We’ll get more, partner. All we have to do is kill some bad guys and take theirs.”

  That perked him right up. “Yeah, you’re right. The way you pick fights, we’ll be swimming in loot in no time.”

  I stared at him. “Well… that’s a little hurtful.”

  Balt didn’t even blink. He was already back to his usual self, mood flipped so fast it gave me whiplash. The ass?hat had pulled a full one?eighty like someone had just toggled his optimism switch.

  Tucker snorted from the side. “He’s not wrong, though. You do have a talent for making enemies.”

  “Thank you, Tucker,” I said dryly. “Truly, your support sustains me.”

  Balt grinned. “See? Teamwork.”

  “Anyway,” Lawson said, trying to steer the conversation back on track. “If you all are ready, go say your goodbyes and meet me in the back courtyard, and we will get to using your tournament rewards.” With that said, he disappeared.

  Walking down the stairs for the last time left a faint ache in my chest. This place had been good to me, full of growth, rest, and companionship. Getting to know the people of this city through Tasks and everyday interactions had been its own kind of adventure, and now my time here was drawing to a close.

  From the landing, I spotted everyone gathered around the breakfast table. I joined them long enough to grab a quick bite and exchange handshakes and well wishes. Mei was nowhere in sight. Wren caught my eye and offered a knowing smile, explaining that Mei had already left for her shop near the third ring. I returned a small, sad smile of my own.

  I made my way over to Jase and clasped his forearm.

  “How about a wager?” I asked.

  He grinned beneath that now real confidence. “What did you have in mind?”

  “Last one to clear their Dungeon world buys the first round when we meet again.”

  A short laugh escaped him. “Sounds like a bet to me.”

  Balt and Tucker made their rounds with me, offering their own goodbyes to the others. Balt traded handshakes and backslaps with anyone who’d let him, while Tucker accepted every scratch behind the ears like a seasoned diplomat. Watching them say their farewells made the moment feel heavier, more real. We were all walking out together, but this chapter was ending all the same.

  Once the last goodbye had been spoken, I led the way through the back door of the Hungry Dragon Inn. The hinges gave a soft groan as it opened into the small courtyard behind the building. The morning air met us, cool and crisp, carrying the faint scent of dew on stone.

  Lawson sat beside a small fire, a steaming cup of tea balanced in one hand. He took a slow sip, then nodded once. “Alright. See to your progression.” Lawson flicked his hand and A barrier appeared around us.

  I swallowed, feeling the weight of the moment settle into my chest. Balt stood at my left, Tucker at my right, steady, familiar presences.

  I lifted my hand and tapped my LV icon.

  A soft chime echoed in my mind.

  I turned toward Lawson, ready to share my screen, when the System Energy hit.

  It slammed into us like a tidal wave.

  My knees buckled, the courtyard spinning as raw power flooded every inch of me. The surge vanished as quickly as it came, but I was left gasping, palms pressed to the cool stone. Beside me, Tucker let out a soft whimper.

  I reached over and scratched under his chin, grounding both of us. “You alright, buddy?”

  His tail thumped once, weak but steady. Balt finally managed to sit upright beside us, rubbing at his temples. We stayed there for a minute or two, letting the last of the System Energy settle before I pulled up my screen and shared it with the others.

  Looking at the options, a sigh slipped out of me before I could stop it.

  “There’s no way I would’ve beaten Shane without Tucker,” I said. Kind of sucks we can’t both get both upgrades.”

  Lawson nodded, expression thoughtful but not unsympathetic. “Yeah, I agree. But the fact that you both got the same amount of levels and Talent Points? That’s huge. Most people would kill for that kind of synchronicity.”

  He wasn’t wrong. I let the frustration bleed out of my shoulders and glanced down at Tucker. He was watching me with those bright, trusting eyes, tail giving a slow wag.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  “I think it’d be best to get you some armor, buddy,” I said. “If the System’s willing to custom?make something for you, that makes me feel a hell of a lot better about the fights we’ve got coming. Knowing you’re protected… you will be a big target out there, you could use some protection.”

  Tucker didn’t argue. He just gave a short, decisive huff, his version of no complaints here.

  I turned back to Lawson.

  He lifted his cup in a small salute. “I was going to suggest the same thing.”

  I willed my choice to the system. I summoned Ember and mentally chose Weapon System Upgrade. Ember floated from my hand, and I was presented with the upgrade message, but several interesting options as well.

  I shared the screen with everyone and I heard a “Holy shit but surprisingly not from Balt, but from Lawson. That brought a grin to my face, and I checked out the next option.

  Having a protective shield would have come in handy on so many occasions, but staying in one place was not exactly my fighting style. I preferred movement and attacking from multiple directions in quick succession. Knowing that I preferred the first option, I moved on to the last one.

  I mean, who didn’t love a Great sword? Ever since I first watched Berserk, I’d been obsessed with Guts and the monstrous slab of metal he swung as if it weighed nothing. The Dragon Slayer had lived rent?free in my head for years.

  But even with that nostalgia tugging at me, I knew exactly which option I wanted.

  Sparks.

  I selected it without hesitation.

  A pulse of heat flared in my palm as Ember reformed in my hand. Two gems now sat embedded in the hilt, one silver, one sapphire, both glowing with a soft inner fire. A new prompt shimmered across my vision.

  I selected Yes.

  The world seemed to inhale.

  Ember dissolved into a swirl of flame and light, spiraling upward before splitting cleanly in two. The fire condensed, hardened, and with a sharp crack of energy, the transformation finished.

  I stood holding two blades, one a gleaming silver, the other a deep sapphire. Both were impossibly light, perfectly balanced, and felt alive in my hands.

  Balt let out a low whistle. “That is badass.”

  “Yeah,” I breathed, unable to stop the grin spreading across my face. “It really is.”

  The agility boost hit me first; my limbs felt lighter, quicker, like my body finally understood how it was supposed to move. Then the mana regeneration set in, a steady current feeding my body. This wasn’t just an upgrade.

  This was a whole new way of fighting. I checked my new status.

  I allocated three points into Intelligence, pushing it to one-hundred-four, and two into Spirit, bringing it to one?hundred?nineteen. My Talent Points were already spoken for, something long overdue, but before I could begin, I glanced over at Tucker.

  He was enveloped in light.

  Not the usual soft glow of a level?up. This was deeper, denser, like the System was forging something in real time.

  “Tucker?” I stepped closer.

  The light intensified, swirling around him in spiraling bands of silver and deep sapphire flame. The courtyard wind kicked up, tugging at my clothes as the energy condensed around his frame. Balt took a step back.

  “Whoa,” he muttered. “That’s… new.”

  The light snapped inward.

  And Tucker’s armor appeared.

  The armor was unlike anything I’d ever seen. Plates of matte silver hugged Tucker’s shoulders and chest. Thin lines of sapphire energy pulsed beneath the surface, matching the same hue as Regalia.

  His collar transformed as I watched, the material cracking apart. In its place formed a sleek band of silver, etched with faint runes that glowed whenever Tucker breathed.

  He looked… regal.

  The System’s armor was beautiful.

  Tucker shook himself once, testing the weight. The armor flexed with him, plates shifting like muscle rather than metal. He gave a sharp, excited bark, the sapphire lines flaring in response.

  “Damn,” Balt muttered.

  I couldn’t help the grin spreading across my face. My buddy looked ready to kick some serious ass. I scratched his favorite spot under the chin. “What are you gonna spend your Talent Points on, bud?”

  Tucker’s voice echoed in my mind, steady and thoughtful.

  My Talents are still low. I think I’ll upgrade them all one tier. Balance things out. Are you still planning to upgrade Flash Step?

  I nodded. “Absolutely. I finally have the four Talent Points needed.”

  I turned to Balt. “What about you?”

  He cracked his neck and rolled his shoulders. “Thinking I’ll put my points into Blink. Been meaning to push it further. Might as well upgrade my robes, boots, and gloves while I’m at it too.”

  “Alright then,” I said, stepping back. “Let’s get to it.”

  I closed my eyes and reached inward.

  The world fell away.

  I stood beneath the boughs of my Soul Tree.

  Its branches shimmered with threads of silver, blue and gold, each one pulsing with the rhythm of my breath. I touched my tree and willed my Talent points to upgrade Flash Step.

  The tree shimmered, and the energy that always pulsed started to move around the tree slowly. Where my hand touched was now an etched pulled trigger with swirling spirals coming out from it.

  Unlike the other Talent representations, like my hanging sword, this one was not stationary. This symbol was in constant motion.

  I felt the change take hold the moment Absolute Trigger settled into my soul. It wasn’t just a boost; it was a complete redefinition of how I moved. My body felt lighter, sharper, more precise. I could already tell this wasn’t the same as moving through ether and reappearing. This was something else entirely. There was now an orange-colored gauge in the corner of my vision.

  I took a breath and moved.

  One step became ten. The courtyard blurred around me, but not in the usual way. There was no ripple, no distortion, no ether shimmer. I didn’t vanish; I simply wasn’t where I’d been. I crossed the courtyard in a blink, and not a single mote of dust stirred beneath my boots.

  I glanced at the gauge. It had dipped slightly from just that brief burst. So, there was a limit.

  I’d need to test it more to see how far I could push this new speed before the gauge bottomed out… and what would happen when it did.

  “Insanely fast,” Tucker said, his voice echoing in my mind with a mix of awe and amusement.

  I grinned and turned back just in time to see Balt finishing his own upgrade. His robes shimmered as the System took hold, the fabric reforming into something sleeker, more refined. A cloth hood settled over his head, casting a slight shadow over his eyes. The robe itself was a flowing blend of yellow and orange, like sunrise caught in motion.

  “Looking sharp,” I said.

  He gave a small smirk. “Figured I’d at least bring some proper style to the party.”

  Lawson stood, brushing ash from his coat. “Are you all ready?”

  We nodded as one.

  I reached into my inventory and pulled out the laurel. Its golden leaves shimmered faintly, pulsing with quiet power. I handed it to Lawson, who took it with a solemn nod and stepped to the center of the courtyard.

  He knelt and placed the laurel on the stone.

  The moment it touched down, the air shifted.

  A low hum filled the space, and light began to spiral upward from the key, past sector keys appeared, wrapping themselves in the threads of gold weaving into a vortex. The portal bloomed open like a flower of light, its center swirling with familiar energy.

  Lawson stepped back, eyes calm. “I’ll see you guys on the other side.”

  I stared into the portal, heart pounding.

  I’m finally going back. I’m coming, girls.

  We stepped forward together, me, Balt, and Tucker, and leapt into the light.