BRAND NEW WORLD

"Are you all right?" asked Luna as she hovered in the open sky.

The sea breeze swept through her silver hair and her elegant purple gown. Beside her floated a winged horse wreathed in blazing crimson fire. Luna and Langit descended, landing near Axxel and Key on the ground.

"You!" Axxel exclaimed, eyes wide.

"You're the one we met at the adventurers' guild in Bhorneo's capital, aren't you?" added Key.

"Ah, yes, I remember now. No wonder your faces looked familiar," Luna replied. "And who is that? Your child?"

"No. She's the sole survivor of Sivanto village," Key answered.

"What did you say?!" Luna was startled.

"Friends, can we talk later? We have more pressing matters right now," said Axxel.

"You're right," Luna nodded. "Can you hold off the big one for a few minutes?"

"Do you have a plan?" Axxel asked.

"Yes. You handle the big one while I take care of the small ones," said Luna. "And you… Take her on Langit's back and get away from the battlefield. You can't fight while carrying her, can you?"

"You're right. In that case, I'll take your offer," Key agreed.

"Good. Now go!" Luna ordered.

Without hesitation, Key leapt onto Langit's back. The fiery steed soared higher, out of reach of the Crawlers and the giant beast.

"Perfect. Now I can fight at full strength," Axxel muttered with excitement, gripping his greatsword with both hands.

Luna rose back into the air and began chanting. Golden magic circles flared around her, and from them emerged a black-and-yellow lightning sphere the size of a car tire. With a flick of her hand, the sphere shot forward, striking the Crawlers on the ground.

ZZZZZTTTTT!

Those who touched the lightning ball died instantly, their bodies charred, smoke curling skyward.

For several minutes, Luna rained down spell after spell, lightning orbs bursting among the Crawlers. Some managed to leap toward her, but just before reaching her, their movements halted as if they hit an invisible wall, then fell back to the ground.

Meanwhile, Axxel dashed straight at the giant monster. The beast swung its massive anchor, but Axxel easily evaded. He countered with a slash across its right abdomen, making it roar in pain. Magic circles suddenly materialized around it, forcing Axxel to retreat just as a massive tentacle burst forth.

BOOM!

"Just as I thought—you're a Wave Hunter. Let's see if I can take you on alone…" Axxel muttered, a smile tugging at his lips.

His sword glowed silver-white. He swung it downward, unleashing a slash of pure energy. The Wave Hunter reflexively swung its anchor, deflecting the strike. The blast veered off and exploded against the coastal trees.

"Not bad…" Axxel smirked. "But let's see if you can withstand this."

He charged mana into his blade and released two consecutive slashes. The first formed an 'X', the second a cross-like '+'.

The Wave Hunter blocked the first, but the second landed squarely, staggering it backward.

Enraged, it opened its maw and fired a jet of pressurized water. Axxel dodged, the torrent following his every move. He sprinted side to side, then suddenly leapt toward the monster.

"Take this—Earthshaker!" he roared.

In midair, his sword blazed with light as he slammed it into the ground a meter from the beast.

BOOM!!

The earth quaked violently. Birds scattered. A shockwave hurled the Wave Hunter several meters back, along with the Crawlers near it.

In Key's arms, Daisy trembled violently at the deafening blast.

"There, there… It's all right. We're safe here," Key whispered gently.

Gradually, Daisy stopped shaking, but when she looked around and realized she was high in the air, she clung even tighter to him, her face pale.

"It's all right… I've got you," Key reassured with a smile.

She glanced at him briefly before looking back toward the battlefield. She saw a blue-scaled Draconian, the massive monster sprawled on the ground, and countless fish-like creatures dead around it. But her eyes were drawn to a woman in a flowing purple gown, floating gracefully in the air, casting spells.

"She's our savior," Key said softly. "She's an adventurer."

At those words, Daisy's eyes lit up with awe, courage, and hope.

The Wave Hunter, hurled to the ground, tried to rise again. But before it could, Axxel darted forward like lightning, slashing its neck in a single horizontal swing.

For a moment, silence—then its massive head fell, followed by its body collapsing to the earth.

THUD!

Seeing their leader slain, the Crawlers lost all will to fight. Some already lay charred by Luna's magic; the rest fled into the sea.

The battle was over. Luna landed softly on the ground, while Langit descended with Key and Daisy. Axxel approached her.

"You're no ordinary adventurer, are you? Hahaha," Axxel chuckled.

"You're not bad yourself," Luna replied, glancing at him.

"But… I feel like I've seen you before…" Axxel frowned.

"Me?"

"…"

After a pause, his eyes widened. "Ah! You're Luna, aren't you?! Luna Moonshine?!"

At the name, Luna immediately drew her blade and aimed it at him.

"Who are you? How do you know that name?" she demanded, eyes sharp.

"So it really is you! It's me—Surya Pratama!" Axxel raised his hand.

"…"

"Sorry, but I don't know that name," Luna replied firmly.

"Shorten the syllables, put them together," Axxel urged.

"…"

Her brows arched in realization.

"SUPRA?!" Luna gasped.

"Took you long enough," Axxel said flatly.

"Unbelievable… after all this time, we meet again," Luna said with a smile, sheathing her blade into her spatial storage.

"You know him, Xel?" Key asked, now dismounted from Langit.

"Key, have you heard of the Illusionary Shop?" Axxel asked eagerly.

"The Illusionary Shop? You mean the legendary place that sold rare items?!"

Axxel nodded, grinning.

"Of course I remember!" Key exclaimed.

"Well, meet the original owner—Luna Moonshine," Axxel declared.

"The real owner of the Moonshine Shop?!" Key's eyes widened.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Luna," she said, offering her hand.

"I-I'm Key," he replied quickly, shaking it.

As they shook hands, Luna's eyes were drawn to the small girl behind him.

"And who might you be, sweetheart?" Luna asked gently, crouching down.

"Dai…sy," the girl whispered.

"Hello, Daisy. I'm Luna. It's a pleasure to meet you," Luna smiled warmly.

Daisy only nodded before hiding behind Key again.

"So adorable… is she your child?" Luna asked.

"O-our child?!" Key sputtered in shock.

"She's not ours," Axxel whispered.

"Oh? Then whose child is she?" Luna asked.

"Well…" Axxel explained everything.

Listening, Luna fell silent, stealing glances at Daisy.

"We don't know… maybe we'll leave her at an orphanage," Axxel admitted, his shoulders slumping, his face sorrowful.

"…"

"Daisy! Wait!" Key suddenly cried.

They turned to see Daisy running off, with Key chasing her and finally catching her in his arms.

"Mama! Papa!" Daisy sobbed, tears streaming.

Key froze, speechless. Luna stepped closer.

"Daisy, how about I take you back to your village to look for your mother and father?" Luna asked gently.

Hearing this, Daisy stopped her tantrum, turned to Luna, and gave a faint nod. Luna held out her hand, and Daisy took it. Together they walked toward Langit.

"Are you serious?!" Axxel whispered.

"I know it will be hard for her… but if we don't, she'll grow up forever wondering. The truth will hurt, but time will ease the wound," Luna said, her expression firm.

"I'll go too," Key said. "I want to be there for her."

"In that case, you and Daisy should ride Langit," Luna suggested.

"What about you?"

"I can fly on my own."

"And me?" Axxel interrupted.

"You're too big for Langit. You'll have to run," Luna teased with a grin.

"Hey! That's unfair!" Axxel pouted.

The four of them made their way back to Sivanto. Ten minutes later, they reached the ruined gates of the village. As they landed, Daisy dashed into one of the broken houses.

"Mama… Papa…!" she cried, searching every room. Empty.

Her steps faltered. She collapsed to her knees and wept bitterly.

The sight pulled Luna back into her own memories—her high school graduation day. She had been in the car with her parents when a deafening truck horn shattered the air. When she awoke, her legs were trapped, and her parents were crushed in the front seats.

The pain stabbed through her heart again, as if it were being squeezed. Since that day, she had shut herself away, avoiding others.

Now, looking at Daisy, it was like staring at her younger self.

I don't want her to become like I once was, Luna thought.

With resolve, Luna walked over and embraced Daisy tightly. Daisy sobbed louder in her arms… until at last she fainted from exhaustion.

The sky turned orange as the four arrived back in Sivanto. Daisy slept soundly in Luna's arms, drained from crying. With night falling, they decided to stay there. A campfire was lit in the village square.

While Key and Axxel gathered firewood, Luna took out a golden-blue bell inlaid with diamonds. She rang it softly, careful not to wake Daisy. The bell summoned a servant NPC, a reward for playing 10,000 hours.

Before her, a dimensional door appeared. From it stepped a beastman dressed as a butler.

"It's been a while, Abi," Luna greeted.

"My lady, thank you for summoning me again. I, Abiyasa, am at your service," he bowed.

Soon after, Key and Axxel returned with firewood. Luna asked Abi to prepare dinner. Axxel looked visibly relieved that she had used the blue bell, not the pink one—though he didn't explain why.

Dinner was served by the fire, and conversation flowed.

"So that's how it happened…" Luna said.

"Yes… This is my second character. I used it to help level up. But during a New Year's celebration with my party, a blinding white light struck—and the next thing I knew, I was in a forest," Axxel explained.

"What about you, Key?" Luna asked.

"I was just as shocked… especially since now I'm stuck in my female avatar's body," Key said, frowning.

"Oh?"

"…"

"How did you two meet?"

"We met after a year here. I was doing odd jobs, while Key was working as a tavern maid," Axxel replied with a wry smile.

"It was tough for me," Key admitted. "In the first month, I was horrified when blood suddenly flowed from between my legs one morning. I thought I was dying." She gave a bitter smile. "The innkeeper told me it was normal—that it meant I was ready to bear children. Just thinking about it still makes my skin crawl." She hugged herself, shuddering.

Luna and Axxel burst out laughing, loud enough to wake Daisy.

"Oops… guess we were too noisy," Axxel whispered.

Rubbing her eyes, Daisy looked around. She glanced at Key and Axxel, then at Luna.

"Good evening, Daisy. You must be hungry. Would you like some cream soup?" Luna asked.

Daisy hesitated, then nodded softly. Abi arrived with a bowl of soup, which she ate while sitting in Luna's lap.

"…"

"Are you going to take her with you?" Luna asked.

"I want to, but…" Key trailed off.

"As adventurers, we wander constantly. A child like her needs a home, not a life on the road," Axxel said. "What about you? Didn't you say you're building a new house? That means you're settling down, right?"

"That's true, but I don't want to force her. Let Daisy decide for herself," Luna replied.

"…"

Perhaps because she was so hungry, Daisy finished two bowls of soup.

"Who do you want to go with? Us, or Luna?" Key asked gently.

Daisy looked at him, then turned to Luna. Her small hand clasped Luna's tightly around her waist.

"So that's your choice," Key said quietly, his voice tinged with sadness.

"This isn't goodbye. We can always visit her," Axxel said encouragingly.

"You're right," Key smiled again.

They talked long into the night before finally bringing the day to a close.