The second test of the Starlace Order’s recruitment began with 102 participants. Among them, only two were players, Frostina and Silica.

  Just minutes into the test, they collided by sheer chance.

  Silica’s mind reeled as they both scrambled to their feet, automatically assuming neutral combat stances. Her heart kicked hard in her chest.

  She had watched the footage from Frostina’s global first event and the Order’s first test. The girl’s movements, her control over mana, the way she’d casually outpaced the timing crystal. It was inhuman, even by pro standards.

  Silica believed she might reach her skill level someday. But it was definitely not now.

  And now she was standing right in front of her.

  Meanwhile, inside Frostina’s mind, Cryssa’s voice echoed calmly.

  (“So… you’re choosing to eliminate her?”)

  (“Intentional or not, you’ve found her. There’s no running now.”)

  (“…Are you sure she’ll survive until the time limit?”)

  “...”

  She had no counter for that.

  Silica might be a seasoned pro in other games, but this world was different. She’d barely been in Dream Land Online for a few weeks.

  Compared to the seasoned mercenaries who fought through the catastrophe, she was still a newbie. She didn’t stand a chance against even the weakest veteran mercenary.

  Just as she resolved to give up her badge and let Silica go, the other girl let out a long sigh and raised both hands.

  “I surrender.”

  Frostina blinked. “Huh?”

  “I’m not stupid. You’re on a whole other level when it comes to overclocking,” Silica muttered, sounding more irritated with herself than anything. “I’d rather surrender than get humiliated.”

  Frostina tilted her head. “Over… what?”

  Silica waved it off. “I can tell I’m outmatched.”

  In other games, Silica had never surrendered. Even when she knew she couldn’t win, she’d still put on a show, make her opponent sweat, or at least earn a draw.

  Being beaten after giving it your all was one thing.

  But being crushed without landing a single blow?

  That was the worst humiliation.

  Silica lowered her arms and looked away.

  “Giving up is disgraceful, but getting stomped like a scrub in front of the whole crowd would sting a hell of a lot more.”

  A beat passed in silence.

  Then, Frostina sighed, closed her grimoire and walked past her without another word.

  Silica blinked.

  “Huh? Wait… Aren’t you gonna take my badge?”

  Frostina stopped a few paces ahead and glanced back over her shoulder.

  “We’re already being laughed at for being the only players here,” she said quietly. “What do you think happens if one of us gets knocked out this early?”

  The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

  Silica hesitated, her mouth half open.

  Frostin didn’t turned back and kept walking.

  “I’m not guaranteed to pass either. It’s better to increase our chances. Let’s go hunt mercs.”

  “Wait… You mean, together?” Silica asked, bewildered. “There’s no rule against teaming up, but… two against one feels kinda…”

  “Then let’s part here,” Frostina replied flatly, raising a hand without turning around. “Good luck.”

  “W-Wait! I didn’t say I would reject it!”

  With a flustered groan, Silica scrambled after her.

  And just like that, the top two players of Dream Land Online walked deeper into the frost-covered maze, side by side.

  Though… Silica regretted it an hour later.

  Trailing behind Frostina in silence, Silica struggled to find the right words.

  Normally, conversations just came to her, her fans approached her, initiated chat, asked for photos or signatures.

  But this wasn’t one of those times. This time, Frostina wasn’t her fan and didn’t really need to team up with her either. It was actually Silica who needed Frostina’s help as she didn’t know how strong the mercenary NPC was.

  So, after some internal wrestling, she forced herself to speak.

  “U-Umm… F-Frostina?”

  Frostina didn’t turn around.

  “Hmm?”

  “Can you… teach me how to overclock?”

  Frostina kept walking in silence. On the inside, however, she was already talking with Cryssa.

  (“Did you forget? I only know things from your world through your memories.”)

  If she didn’t know something from Earth, there was no way Cryssa would.

  Still getting no answer, Silica hesitated before continuing.

  “Ah! I-It’s fine if you don’t want to. I just thought—”

  “You’ve mentioned overclocking a few times now,” Frostina cut in. “But what exactly is it?”

  “Huh? You don’t know?”

  “…Is it something I should know?”

  “Ah, no! It’s just a general term from other games,” Silica said, picking up her pace so she could walk beside her.

  “...This game is the first game I played.”

  “For real?! But you play like a pro…”

  Frostina didn’t answer.

  Scared the conversation might end just like that, Silica launched into an explanation.

  “A-Anyway, overclocking usually refers to when a player pushes their performance beyond the norm, like super precise micro-movements, frame-perfect execution, or high-level control stuff.”

  Frostina raised an eyebrow slightly, still walking. More unfamiliar terms appeared, but she let Silica continue.

  “In this game, I think mastering Advanced Mode is basically the same thing as overclocking.”

  “So you’re saying my mana control is… overclocking?”

  “Yup! A player who can do that is called an overclocker.”

  “I see.”

  “It’s not a fixed label or anything,” Silica added. “Different games call it different things, like , , , .”

  “There are that many names?”

  “Yes. No player created the exclusive term for this game yet, so I used the general term, .”

  “It’s not decided by the developer?”

  “Nope! A popular player comes up with a term, it spreads, and then the devs start using it for marketing.”

  In the other timeline, only Frostina had ever used Advanced Mode, and no one had even realized what she was doing. They had chalked it up to a gear-based power gap and never coined a term for it.

  “Oh, right!” Silica said suddenly, eyes lighting up. “How about you name it?”

  “H-Huh?! Me?!” Frostina actually stopped walking and turned toward her in surprise.

  “Yeah! You're the first player to unlock overclocking in this game. You should be the one to name it!”

  “…I’ll think about it,” she said at last, glancing ahead. “But for now—”

  Her grimoire floated to her side and opened by itself. She extended one hand forward.

  “Ice spear.”

  A dozen glimmering spears of frost shot down the hallway toward a seemingly empty intersection.

  Silica blinked in confusion. “Huh?”

  Then, from the intersection, a figure stepped into view.

  A mercenary.

  “W-What?!”

  The man instinctively deflected several of the spears aimed at his chest and head, but a few found their mark, stabbing into his legs and shoulders.

  “Damn bitch! Sneaking up—”

  He didn’t finish his words.

  A dagger slid cleanly into his throat from behind.

  He stiffened, gurgled, then collapsed, and vanished in a flash of blue light, disqualified and ejected from the illusion realm.

  Only his frost badge remained, gleaming faintly where he’d stood.

  Silica stood behind where he’d been, lowering her dagger.

  “That went easier than I thought.”

  Cryssa’s voice sounded impressed in Frostina’s mind.

  (“Whoa… she made a quick judgment call.”)

  Frostina nodded slightly and turned to Silica.

  “He deflected some of my attacks even though it was a sneak spell. He must’ve been strong. But he didn’t expect a second ambush from behind.”

  “Yeah… Sorry for the kill steal,” Silica said, crouching to pick up the badge. “Here. You found him first.”

  Frostina shook her head.

  “You keep it. I’ll take the next one.”

  “Huh? But without your attack, I probably couldn’t have taken him down. And we don’t even know how many more NPCs we’ll run into. It’s already been an hour, and this was the first.”

  “It’s fine. There’s still time.”

  Cryssa chuckled lightly.

  (“If only she knew you’ve been deliberately avoiding people this whole time.”)

  Frostina’s mouth twitched at that, but she ignored her.

  “Let’s go.”

  Frostina turned and resumed walking.

  Silica stood there for a moment, still clutching the badge in her hand, watching Frostina’s back as the girl walked ahead in calm, measured steps.

  In every other game she’d ever played, Silica had been the one leading the charge, carrying her teammates, rescuing less experienced players, and setting the pace.

  However, this time, she was the one being guided.

  It gave her a strange feeling, but Silica smiled to herself.

  Then, with a quiet laugh, she ran to catch up.

  “Wait for me, Frostina!”

  The second test was still ongoing.

  And the Frozen Queen had made a new friend without ever meaning to.

  A friend who just might cling to her… if only to relive the feeling of being carried.