EGO: Explore Game Online (LAMBDA)

The Void Knight's sinister laugh reverberated as the battle raged on. Sherry and Ronin pressed their attacks, blades flashing as the Void Knight parried with precision and devastating counterattacks. The replica of the Void Knight engaged the original in a brutal duel nearby, giving Sherry and Ronin some breathing room.

Suddenly, Takashi's agonized scream tore through the air, freezing everyone in their tracks. "Takashi!" Sherry shouted, her grip on Excalibur tightening as she turned her gaze toward him.

The Void Knight seized the distraction, raising his sword to deliver a devastating blow to the group. But before it could land, the Void Knight's replica intervened, blocking the strike with a resounding clang. Sparks flew as the two Void Knights clashed again, their identical forms locked in an intense struggle.

Ichio rushed to Takashi's side, eyes wide with alarm. Takashi's avatar was glitching, his form distorting erratically. "It's… too… much…" Takashi stammered, his voice breaking. "Can't… comprehend… For…get… E…E…go… re…set…"

With those words, Takashi collapsed to the ground, his avatar stabilizing but motionless. Ichio knelt beside him, disbelief etched on his face. "Impossible," he muttered. "There's no way a player can collapse in-game. That's… unless something's happened to him in the real world."

Sherry approached, her face pale. "What could cause this? Did he just use the game's login code while already logged in? That's… that's not supposed to be possible!"

Before they could process what had happened, Fortuna's light flared brighter than ever, the Tree of Life pulsing with restorative energy. Takashi stirred, groaning as he slowly opened his eyes. "What just happened?" he murmured, his voice weak.

Ichio leaned closer. "You… collapsed. Do you remember anything?"

Takashi shook his head. "No. It's blank. I can't recall anything from the Abyss."

---

Inside the Abyss

Yasei used Dimension Shift, his form shimmering as he tore through the Void Knight's abyssal domain, emerging back near his allies. He appeared abruptly, with a sigh.

"Well, that was... something," Yasei said. "The moment I lost my connection with Takashi, the heart thingy inside the Void Knight started expanding—fast. It felt like it was going to consume everything, so I left. No idea what's going on in there now."

The Void Knight's replica fought valiantly but was suddenly overwhelmed as the Void Knight absorbed it. The original Void Knight's form began to distort violently, its body flickering like a broken hologram. Dark energy swirled chaotically around it as its sword clattered to the ground.

The Void Knight bent down, picking the weapon back up. As it straightened, another Void Blade materialized in its other hand. Dual-wielding now, its presence grew even more oppressive.

Ronin's eyes widened. "Dual-wielding? But… that's impossible! No one can dual-wield especially not a floor boss, and players can't either unless they've completed the Hero Quest! Which is rare"

The Void Knight lunged forward with terrifying speed, both blades striking in a flurry of attacks. Ronin met the assault with Baroul, parrying the Void Knight's strikes as Sherry joined the fray with Excalibur. The air filled with the deafening clash of steel, each blow sending shockwaves rippling through the battlefield.

Sherry gritted her teeth, her movements precise but strained. "This is getting ridiculous!" she shouted, narrowly dodging a sweeping attack.

The Void Knight pivoted, slamming one blade toward Ronin and the other toward Sherry. Sparks erupted as they deflected the attacks, but the Void Knight's relentless aggression left them struggling to find an opening.

Sherry suddenly pulled back, Revoking Excalibur in a flash of light. "Enough of this," she muttered, Invoking Durandal. Its massive blade shimmered as she turned to Ronin. "Distract him!"

Ronin nodded, stepping forward to engage the Void Knight directly. His movements became sharper, each strike aimed to push the Void Knight back.

While Ronin held its attention, Sherry moved with silent precision, darting behind the Void Knight. In one swift motion, she swung Durandal with devastating force, severing both of the Void Knight's arms.

The Void Knight roared, its regeneration failing as its body distorted further. Glowing codes—zeros and ones—appeared across its form, spreading like cracks. Its body trembled as a black hole began expanding from its core, consuming it from within.

The Void Knight dropped to its knees, its voice warped and distorted.

"The architect of the merger walks among thee, unseen. His design will bind thee to thy avatars."

The group froze, their eyes wide as the Void Knight continued. "Beware the one who plays god. For he is both creator and destroyer."

With those final words, the Void Knight's form collapsed inward, the black hole consuming it entirely. The battlefield fell silent as the oppressive energy faded.

Sherry lowered Durandal, her breathing heavy. "It's… finally over," she muttered.

Ronin nodded. "For now. But what did he mean… 'The architect'?"

The oppressive darkness of the Void of Abyss began to dissipate as the Void Knight vanished into nothingness. The suffocating atmosphere lifted, the distorted space rippling before transforming into a grand throne room. The heavy obsidian walls turned into polished stone, glowing faintly with ethereal light, and the air grew calm.

Sherry looked around, her eyes wide. "Whoa… it's changing back. Does this mean… we actually did it?"

Ronin Revoked Baroul, nodding. "Seems like it. The Void Knight's defeat must've broken whatever was twisting this place."

As they spoke, their battle gear shimmered and dissolved, replaced with their normal equipment. Sherry's Hero's Armor vanished, replaced by her usual armor. The others followed suit, their combat forms retreating into their standard appearances.

Rosewalt and Ryoka approached from where they'd been sitting. Rosewalt smirked. "Well, I guess we pulled it off. Floor 91 is history."

Ryoka gave a tired grin. "Yeah, we actually did it."

Yasei, pointed toward the massive, intricately carved throne at the far end of the room. "Hey, uh… guys? Look over there. Something's on the throne."

The group turned, their attention now focused on the enormous dark chair at the center of the room. Its surface shimmered with an ominous, reflective sheen, and on one of the armrests was a peculiar, glowing button.

Sherry tilted her head. "What do you think it does?"

Ichio frowned. "Only one way to find out." He cautiously approached the throne, his hand hesitating briefly before pressing the button.

---

Across the Dungeon

A booming announcement echoed through the entire dungeon and the game world beyond, reaching every player logged in.

"System Notice: Floor 91 has been cleared. The Floor BossVoid Knight has been defeated by the Elohim Party.

Participants: Ronin the Warrior; Takashi the Berserker; Sherry the Requiper; Rosewalt the Elven Archer; Yasei the Assassin; Ryoka the Contractor; with Ichio the Artemist. Congratulations to the Elohim Party. Floor 92 is now open."

---

Back in the throne room, the announcement faded, leaving the group stunned.

Ronin blinked. "Well… now everyone in the game knows who we are."

Sherry shrugged. "Not that different from when Angel Fall cleared Floor 90. We're just the latest news."

Ryoka smirked. "Yeah, but it's nice to get a bit of fame. Not every day you hear your name echoed across the entire server."

Before they could say more, a soft chime filled the room, and glowing artifacts began to materialize in front of them. The group watched in awe as treasures floated into their hands, each pulsating with power.

Sherry gasped as two sets of armor appeared before her: the Abyss Armor and the Void Armor, both sleek, intimidating, and radiating dark energy. "Requip Gear… of the Void Knight?" she murmured. "Looks like my arsenal just got an upgrade."

Ichio received a glowing orb: the Core of the Void Knight. As it merged with him, his body pulsed with newfound energy. He could feel it—the essence of Void Manipulation and Abyss Manipulation now coursing through him. "This… is incredible," he said quietly.

Ronin grasped two weapons: the ominous Void Blade and the shimmering Sword of Dimensions, their opposing energies resonating in his hands. "I'm going to need some serious practice with these."

Yasei grinned as two sleek weapons materialized for him: the Shuriken of the Abyss and the Dagger of the Void. Twirling them expertly, he whistled. "I think I'm in love."

Ryoka's artifact glowed darkly: a core tied to the Devil of the Void, known as the Void Fiend. His eyes lit up with excitement. "Finally! I can contract with the Void Fiend and wield the full power of the Abyss!"

Takashi's reward, the Gauntlet of Corrosion, emanated a deadly aura. He clenched his fist, feeling the raw destructive power of the Corrode Death Artem flowing into him. "Perfect for a Berserker," he said with a grin.

Lastly, Rosewalt received the Bow of Death and Chaos, a sleek but sinister weapon. She sighed, holding it up with a frown. "Seriously? A devilish bow? Of course, it had to be me."

As the group stood in awe of their new rewards, the room's atmosphere shifted once again. The light dimmed, and a strange, warm glow emanated from Takashi's body. He froze, his eyes wide as a radiant orb of light slowly emerged from his forehead.

The orb floated to the center of the party, pulsing with an otherworldly energy. Everyone instinctively stepped back, watching in stunned silence.

"What's happening?" Sherry whispered, her hand instinctively reaching for her sword.

Ichio narrowed his eyes. "I don't know… but I don't think this is part of the reward."

The orb hovered in the air, glowing brighter and brighter until the entire room was engulfed in light. The party was swallowed by its radiance, their senses fading.

 CHAPTER END.