Infinity, The Arcade Age

In the Lost Boys' Camp, dozens of boys busied themselves sharpening weapons and preparing for battle.

Despite their youthful appearance, their physiques were remarkably strong—likely a result of living in the magical land of Neverland. Each one of them had stats that surpassed an average adult, with no attribute below 10 points.

The key figures among them, Rufio, Clown, Doll, and Chubby, were all boss-level characters.

Sure, they couldn't compare to the monstrous bosses from Romance of the Three Kingdoms 2, but in a one-on-one fight, they could easily overpower a standard first-stage boss from any world.

With these Lost Boys at his back, this D-ranked world seemed almost laughably easy.

While the boys eagerly prepared for battle, Qin Ming was inside a wooden cabin, face-to-face with the tiny, glowing fairy, Tinkerbell.

He stared at the tiny golden light hovering in front of him with an expression of pure exasperation.

"I mean… tricking others is one thing, but are you seriously fooling yourself? You should know better than anyone whether I'm Peter Pan or not. That half-baked flying magic from earlier—that was you, wasn't it?"

Tinkerbell crossed her little arms and huffed indignantly.

"First of all! That wasn't half-baked magic! It was sacred fairy magic! You just happen to be too heavy! Second! You are Peter Pan!"

"I'm not!"

"I don't care who you used to be! From now on, you're Peter Pan!"

"…And what about the real Peter Pan?"

"Him? Didn't we already toss him into the river? Why are you still worrying about him?"

Tinkerbell turned away with a loud hmph, her tiny wings fluttering in irritation.

"He abandoned us! Left us behind for twenty years! And now, just because he's in trouble, he wants to waltz back in here? And look at him! He's fat! He's gross! I don't need him anymore! You're the new Peter Pan now!"

"But… I can't even fly!"

"When we have time, I'll take you to the Dreaming Pool. Soak in its waters, and you'll be able to fly in no time!"

"The… Dreaming Pool?"

"Of course! How do you think the original Peter Pan learned to fly? Do you think he just flapped his arms and floated away?"

Hovering closer, Tinkerbell's face lit with a smug grin.

"It was me who chose him to become Peter Pan. Without me, he'd be nothing! The same goes for you. If you ever betray me…"

Her voice dropped into a low, ominous whisper, her tiny wings fluttering slowly as she hovered inches from Qin Ming's face.

"Do you know what happens to kids who are cast out of Neverland? They return to a world where they don't belong. Bodies stunted by years of halted growth, families who no longer recognize them… Tell me, what do you think happens to a child who has no home and no one to care for them? Hmm?"

She floated right up to Qin Ming, cupped his nose in her tiny hands, and pressed her forehead against his.

"So! You are Peter Pan! Got it?!"

And with that, she spun around and zipped out of the room, leaving Qin Ming standing there, frozen in place.

It took him a full minute to close his gaping mouth.

Well, damn… This really is a twisted fairy tale.

The title of "Peter Pan" can just… switch hands like that?

No wonder the green title task required me to replace Peter Pan and become the leader of the Lost Boys!

When I first saw that task, I thought, "How can I replace an actual person?" But now…

Peter Pan isn't a person. He's a position. A job title. A symbol.

Man… Even in a fairy tale, society's still this messed up?

What next? A dystopian version of Sleeping Beauty where she's forced to stay awake forever? Or a Cinderella where the glass slipper is actually a tracking device?

His worldview felt like it was crumbling apart, one fairy wing at a time.

One hour later…

The rally horn echoed through the camp, and the boys gathered together, brandishing swords, clubs, and spears.

At the forefront stood Qin Ming, now clad in a ridiculous green outfit that screamed storybook protagonist.

In his hand was a slender, gleaming silver rapier—the Sword of Peter Pan, previously held by Rufio.

Name: Sword of Peter Pan (Hook World)

Type: Weapon (Brilliant Silver Plot-Grade)

Requirement: Peter Pan Identity

Effect 1: Attack Power: 25–30

Effect 2: Energy Halo (Releases energy rings in all directions, causing indiscriminate damage. Cooldown: 1 minute)

Description: The symbol of Peter Pan's authority, passed down through generations. Yes, generations. You know what that means.

(Note: Cannot be taken out of this world.)

Holding the symbolic sword aloft, Qin Ming squared his shoulders and glared into the crowd of expectant faces.

Raising the sword high, he shouted:

"Take down Captain Hook!"

"TAKE DOWN CAPTAIN HOOK!"

The boys echoed him with thunderous roars, waving flags bearing an X-marked hook symbol—their defiance etched into every stitch.

The ragtag army surged forward, led by Qin Ming. Sitting atop his head, Tinkerbell crossed her arms, smirking with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

Their destination? Hook's Camp.

The sudden assault threw Hook's pirates into chaos. Alarms blared, men scrambled for weapons, and curses filled the air.

Before they could fully regroup, the camp gates were smashed open, and the Lost Boys poured in like a green tide.

Chaos erupted. Swords clashed, knives flashed, and the fairy tale setting felt more like a gritty war zone than a whimsical adventure.

At the forefront, Qin Ming raised his steel-clad arm to block a pirate's heavy cutlass. His golden bracers sparked on impact.

With a grunt, he swung a devastating punch, knocking the pirate into a mid-air somersault before he crashed lifelessly to the ground.

"Nice punch!" Tinkerbell cheered.

With every step, Qin Ming plowed through pirates like a wrecking ball, his sheer presence carving a bloody path toward the center of the camp.

And there he was.

With a resounding crash, a massive chef burst through a wooden wall.

In one hand, he clutched a greasy frying pan, and in the other, an oversized cleaver.

The Fat Chef, the first-stage boss of this world, had arrived.

His furious roar echoed through the battlefield.

But before he could even finish his entrance, Qin Ming's boot slammed into his face, sending him crashing right back into the kitchen.

(End of Chapter)