Surviving These Unfair Scenarios [LITRPG - DIMENSION HOPPING]

The white-walled lobby stretched around them, bathed in the soft, eternal glow of its simulated sky. The wooden floor beneath their feet felt solid and real, a welcome contrast to the shattered ruins of Celestia Sanctum. But the peace was abruptly shattered by a guttural cry of agony. Adam, his body still disfigured from the Undead Empress's brutal mutations and the battle against the team Eden members, lay crumpled on the ground, twisting slowly in a silent, agonizing torment.

Unlike Adam, the rest of 'No Name' felt a profound, almost luxurious, sense of well-being upon arriving. The colossal Yggdrasil, summoned by Beowulf, had worked its magic on them within the scenario, purging their bodies of every wound, every ounce of fatigue, and every lingering curse. They were whole and brimming with a vitality they hadn't felt in weeks. That newfound vigor, coupled with the abrupt return to their safe haven, spurred them into action.

Drake pushed past his internal turmoil. His instincts recognized the immediate need upon the words of Kazue asking for a system heal. He sprinted towards the designated shop area of the lobby, a section marked by large, inert white cubes resting on the wooden floor. He reached the nearest cube, his hand outstretched, and slammed his palm against its surface. A soft hum resonated through the structure, and a holographic interface shimmered into existence before him.

He navigated the menu with practiced efficiency, his fingers flying across the ethereal controls. He selected 'Heal Up', then 'Full Recovery', and finally, 'Adam Scholar – Personal Points Account.' A quick glance confirmed the immense tally of points that the boy had. He then repeated the process for Sebastian, whose unconscious form still lay near Adam, a stark contrast to the lively recovery of the others. The old man had endured a severe piercing wound and, while stable, wasn't on the battlefield when the healing tree appeared.

As Drake confirmed the purchase, a series of melodic chimes echoed through the lobby as a system confirmation, and then, a gentle, purifying light enveloped both wounded ones. The air itself seemed to hum with restorative energy.

Sebastian's recovery was swift. In mere seconds, the light surrounding him intensified and then faded. He stirred, a soft groan escaping his lips, then his eyes flickered open, blinking against the lobby's perpetual glow. He pushed himself up with a grunt, rubbing the back of his neck, with his body still stiff, but undoubtedly healed. He glanced around, bewildered, his gaze falling upon Adam's still form.

Adam's healing, however, was a far more arduous process. The light that bathed him pulsed and swelled due to the severity of his injuries. Minutes stretched into an eternity. His body remained rigid, but the light shimmered violently around him, slowly, painfully, unwinding the knots of dark energy and cleansing the wounds left by Yggdrasil's purging grace. Each passing second saw a fraction more of his true form reassert itself, the mutated flesh receding, and the grotesque distortions smoothing out. Finally, after what felt like an age, the light around Adam intensified one last time, then dissipated completely. His body, now returned to his familiar human form, lay still for a moment, then a shudder ran through him. He took a deep, rattling breath, his eyes fluttering open.

Drake and Kazue, who had been anxiously watching Adam's slow recovery, rushed to his side the moment the light faded. The girl knelt, her face etched with concern.

"Adam? Are you okay!? How do you feel!?"

Her voice was soft but hesitant, denoting her worries. Adam blinked, his eyes unfocused for a moment as he took in the faces of his friends. He pushed himself up, rubbing his temples, a faint ache still lingering behind his eyes.

"I'm… I'm fine."

He mumbled, his voice raspy, disoriented.

"Just… a little disoriented. What happened?"

Drake placed a hand on Adam's shoulder, his expression grim but relieved.

"It's a long story… but you're back. And you're whole. That's what matters right now."

He glanced at Kazue, who offered a small, reassuring smile to Adam. Once the initial relief had settled, the boy found himself in a quiet corner of the lobby, surrounded by his entire team. The atmosphere, though calm, was thick with unspoken questions, with the lingering shadows of a battle fought under impossible circumstances.

Li cleared his throat, breaking the silence.

"Alright, everyone. Now that we're all… back to normal, we should talk. Adam, you owe us an explanation."

His tone was direct, as always. Adam sighed, running a hand through his messy hair. He looked at each of them, his gaze lingering on Drake for a moment, a flicker of guilt in his eyes.

"I… I apologize."

He began, his voice low.

"Not only did the plan fall apart due to an unexpected variable, but I also put all of you in grave danger."

He did not remember anything his body had done while the Undead Empress was controlling him, but it was certain due to the number of "Users Defeated" that he had attacked his own team at some point. Kazue quickly waved a hand, dismissing his apology.

"Don't worry about it!"

She said, her usual cheerfulness attempting to break through the somber mood.

"Despite everything, we still managed to accomplish the rest of our plan! We defeated all of Dragon Utopia's forces, didn't we?"

Her gaze, however, subtly shifted towards Drake, a flicker of concern in her eyes; after all, the greatest conflict, the most devastating personal cost, had been to him.

The blond stood slightly apart from the group, his arms crossed, his gaze fixed on the wooden floor. His face was etched with a profound affliction, a silent torment that mirrored Adam's own guilt, and unlike his teammate, he remembered everything. The rage, the cold, calculating detachment, the brutal conclusion of his actions... The Plot Device, 'Humans Are the Real Monsters', had amplified his darkest impulses, twisting his personality into something he barely recognized, something he now despised.

He said nothing and simply stood there, radiating a palpable aura of self-condemnation.

The silence grew heavy once more, thick with the unspoken weight of Drake's internal struggle. Chloe, sensing the discomfort, fidgeted nervously. Emir, perceptive despite his youth, looked from one boy to the other, his small brow furrowed with concern.

Adam, catching Drake's somber expression, sensed the deep-seated pain emanating from his friend. He recognized a kindred spirit in their shared guilt, though for vastly different reasons. He knew he needed to understand.

"Tell me, please."

Adam said with a quiet voice.

"What exactly happened? I… the last thing I remember is fighting Konrad the necromancer, and then… darkness."

Suddenly, Katya stepped forward.

"Alright, listen closely."

She began, her tone laced with a familiar sarcasm, but with an underlying seriousness.

"After you got possessed, you were a nightmare. You fought Drake, nearly killed him a few times, actually. Then you summoned that colossal, ugly goddess, Arianka."

She gestured vaguely towards the non-existent sky.

"Then you started fighting everyone – Drake, Angela, Meera, even the android thingy that resembled one of the Don's from the previous scenario. You had us all on the ropes, almost finished us off with those spectral tendrils and spikes."

She paused, a rare flicker of admiration in her eyes.

"You were pretty powerful, I'll give you that. But then Li here pulled a miracle out of his pocket, or rather, a weird Plot Device."

She gestured towards Li with a nod.

"Two members of Team Eden showed up. A giant brute named Beowulf and an arrogant woman named Brunhilde. They wiped the floor with you, frankly. Contained you, and then that big tree healed us all."

She finished, her summary concise, brutal, and to the point. Li grumbled, adjusting his glasses.

"A little rough around the edges, but it was basically it. And for that, my potential rank dropped. Now it's going to be a pain to get it back up."

He shot a pointed look at Adam. He offered another earnest apology.

"I'm truly sorry, Li. I had no control over it. I never intended for this to happen."

The man scoffed, waving a dismissive hand.

"Apologies won't fix my potential. Besides, at least what I did prevented something far worse. It was no exaggeration when she said that you were about to obliterate everything."

At that, Adam remembered. The system screen from the white room, the horrifying number.

"Speaking of that… My statistics at the end of the scenario… they showed I had killed a user."

He said, his voice dropping. His gaze swept over his team, a profound relief washing over him when he saw they were all present and accounted for.

"I'm glad it wasn't anyone from our team. But… who was it?"

Katya shrugged, a casual dismissal.

"Oh, that was just the traitor from WNATN. Johan or something. Can't remember his name, don't care. It wasn't a great loss. Even Angela didn't seem bothered by it."

But Adam's brow furrowed. It still weighed on him... A life taken, even indirectly, by his hand. A user, a person, gone. He felt a familiar knot of anxiety tightening in his chest.

However, Gregor, noticing Adam's internal struggle, stepped forward. He placed a heavy hand on Adam's shoulder, shaking him gently, his expression stern but understanding.

"Scholar, what's done is done. Lamenting won't bring anyone back."

He looked Adam directly in the eye.

"And how can you lament the death of someone when you weren't even conscious of doing it? Didn't you indirectly cause countless deaths with your ghosts in the previous scenario? And in this one, too, before you were stopped? What about all those people? Did they deserve to die for you not to care?"

Adam flinched. Gregor's words were a harsh truth, cutting through his self-pity. It was true. He had unleashed horrors in the Shaolin temple in the last scenario when he fought Abbess. He had been so focused on the larger conflict that he hadn't truly processed the countless, nameless lives lost. Was it because he still, deep down, considered them NPCs, mere background elements in his struggle, rather than real people? The thought was unsettling.

"We are in a world very similar to war."

Gregor continued, his voice softening slightly.

"People die, often without reason. But there's nothing we can do to prevent it, not on this level. If you truly want to stop unnecessary deaths, you cannot do it as a mere fighter. You need to be someone with enough power, enough influence, to change things, to change the system itself."

Adam tried to speak, but the words caught in his throat. Gregor's logic was unassailable.

"As long as we are incapable of changing things in the system, there is no point in lamenting something we cannot change."

Adam sighed, a long, weary sound. He finally nodded, a reluctant acceptance in his posture.

"You're right…"

He admitted, his gaze hardening with resolve.

"I need power."

The air in the lobby, which had been heavy with the weight of Adam's apology and Drake's silent torment, slowly began to lighten as the conversation shifted. The harsh realities of their existence in the system, the casual brutality of death, were laid bare, but also the grim determination to overcome it.

"So, what about Adam's… situation? That Brunhilde woman said the Empress would just take over again when we enter a new scenario. That's still a huge problem, right?"

Chloe ventured, her voice was laced with genuine concern. Gregor stepped forward once more.

"Indeed. It is a significant concern… Have we considered simply looking for something in the shop? A skill, an item, perhaps even a ritual to… exorcise, or control the entity within Adam?"

He rubbed the back of his hair, irritated. Then he looked at Adam, then at the others, his face creased with stress.

"We could."

Li interjected, ever practical.

"But we've seen how powerful she is, even suppressed. That makes it... complicated. Besides, Adam, couldn't you just try to re-seal the [Mark of the Damned] with your [Overmind Parasite] again? That worked last time, didn't it?"

Adam looked down at his hand, flexing his fingers over the faint, invisible mark.

"Perhaps, but you saw it. It wasn't an infallible solution. It bought me time, but it clearly didn't truly bind her. I need something more permanent."

As the team tossed around ideas, some practical, some wildly speculative, Adam's gaze drifted to the back of his hand, to where the [Mark of the Damned] lay. He remembered his internal ghost world, the serene, empty space, and the presence within it... He remembered Nikolai and the unexpected conversation they had shared. His words had been so impactful, even from beyond the veil of death, urging the boy to understand, to embrace, not merely fear, the power that resided within him. Nikolai had spoken of control, of understanding, of the potential for something truly unique. Adam looked up, his decision made. The chaos of ideas around him faded into background noise.

"Before we think about definitively getting rid of the Undead Empress."

He said, his voice cutting through the discussions.

"I… I want to try and talk to her."

An immediate silence descended upon the group. Every head snapped towards him. Then, the silence exploded.

"What?!"

Chloe shrieked, her eyes wide with disbelief.

"Are you insane, Adam?!"

Li exclaimed, his cybernetic eye flaring.

"Talk to her? After what she just did?!"

"You're out of your mind!"

Katya snapped, her face a mask of shock and worry. Even Drake looked at Adam with a mixture of concern and incredulity.

"Adam… are you sure the Empress's influence is completely gone?"

He asked, his voice low, cautious.

"This sounds… Suspiciously risky."

Adam held up a hand, silencing their protests.

"Listen, this isn't some rash decision. It's because of what I learned. What I… what I talked about with Nikolai."

He said with clear discomfort. The name hung in the air, and silence fell once more, even more profound than before. Everyone stared at Adam with faces in a mixture of shock, confusion, and a burgeoning sense of awe. Nikolai?

"Nikolai?"

Kazue whispered, her eyes welling up with tears, she quickly blinked away.

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

"What… what do you mean?"

Adam took a deep breath. He recounted the experience, slowly, carefully, detailing his internal ghost world, the ethereal landscape, and the unexpected, profound encounter with Nikolai's spirit. He explained how he had been there, conscious and aware, observing everything, and how their conversation had revealed insights into the Undead Empress's nature and the complex relationship Adam shared with her.

He spoke of Nikolai's new perspective, his acceptance of his fate, and his words of advice.

"He… he said he was able to feel certain things about the Empress while he was in there."

Adam explained, his voice gaining conviction.

"And that he had time to think, to change his own point of view. He even suggested trying to understand her, not just fight her."

He paused, looking at his teammates' stunned faces.

"I don't know if there's any way to bring him back, but for now, I need to focus on the problem we have right now and follow his advice."

He admitted, a flicker of pain in his eyes. The revelation left the team speechless. Nikolai, still present, somehow connected to Adam, offering guidance even in death. It could have been a system anomaly of a different, more personal kind. After a moment of stunned silence, the questions erupted.

"Nikolai's ghost is inside you? That's… creepy. And amazing!"

Chloe breathed, her eyes wide.

"But why?"

Emir asked, his voice small, curious. Li rubbed his temples.

"Another bug? Or worse, a trap? How can you be certain that it was him and not a trick from the Undead Empress?"

It was a valid concern, but Adam doubled his opinion.

"There is no proof that this is not a trap, but… I can feel it, he was there, it was his spirit. Nikolai's understanding of the Empress was not something she would risk exposing; it might be the key to truly containing her, or perhaps even…"

He snapped out of it and looked at Gregor.

"And that's why I need your help, Gregor. Your [Speak with Dead] skill is the most direct way to try and establish communication with her, please lend me a hand."

The soldier nodded with a grim expression.

"Understood. The sooner, the better. We don't know how much time we have before the next scenario activates."

As Adam turned to leave with Gregor, Kazue reached out, her hand gently but firmly taking his. She held him, causing a ripple of surprise through the rest of the team. Katya, whose eyes had narrowed the moment Kazue touched Adam, took a sharp breath, her body tensing, a possessive fury flickering in her gaze. She looked like she was about to leap at the boy, a silent snarl on her lips, but held herself back for the time being.

Kazue's face was dusted with a faint blush, a charming contrast to the grim reality of their situation. Her voice, however, was soft, almost a whisper.

"Don't forget…"

She said, her eyes earnest.

"What we promised. After the last scenario… Remember?"

Adam looked at her, then a slow, gentle smile spread across his face, a rare sight that softened his stern features.

"I haven't forgotten, Kazue, I'd be delighted to."

A beat of silence. Then, Chloe gasped, her eyes wide as saucers.

"Delighted?! Wait, you two…?"

She squeaked, a high-pitched sound of utter shock. Li's cybernetic eye flickered rapidly, his jaw dropping.

Drake, who had just managed to recompose himself after the confession, stared, his face a mixture of bewilderment and… something else that bordered on a weird place. He hadn't thought… Adam? Kazue?

Katya, on the other hand, let out a low, guttural growl, a sound of pure, unadulterated possessive rage. Her hands clenched, and her nails dug into her palms. Her eyes now burned with a terrifying, unblinking intensity fixed on Adam's back. The thought of those, alone, "delighted", filled her with a venomous fury that threatened to spill over. Kazue, oblivious to the storm she had just unleashed, simply smiled brightly at Adam.

"I'll be waiting then…"

She finally released Adam's hand, and he walked away with Gregor, heading towards a quieter corner of the lobby. Li, sensing the potential for… complications, quickly followed them.

"I'm coming too."

He announced, his voice firm. He glanced back at Emir.

"Kid, you should come too. We don't know what might happen with those two mediating with that kind of entity. We should be there, just in case."

Emir, who had observed the previous exchange between Kazue and Adam with a youthful innocence, completely failing to grasp the double entendre, since he was simply too young to understand such nuances, nodded earnestly.

"Okay."

He chirped and trotted after him, a small, determined shadow following the older man. The three figures of Adam, Gregor, and Li, with Emir bringing up the rear, soon disappeared into the deeper recesses of the lobby, leaving the rest of the team to process the bewildering implications of Kazue's seemingly innocent comment.

The girl stood in the middle of the lobby, watching the retreating backs of her friends with a melancholic expression settling over her features. A faint sigh escaped her lips. It's always about the big, important things, isn't it? She thought, a wistful sadness in her eyes. Even when we're just talking about… The promise to watch an anime of her recommendation together with the team.

A sudden, sharp presence at her side made her jump. Katya stood there, her hands clenched, her eyes burning with an intense, unblinking stare.

"Kazue…"

Katya stammered, her voice unusually hesitant, a rare display of uncertainty from the sarcastic girl.

"What… what did you mean? With Adam? You two were… what?"

She searched Kazue's face, a barely contained possessiveness in her tone. The girl, however, was already distracted.

"Ah, just a minute, Katya!"

She said, her eyes unfocused as she patted her own cheeks lightly, trying to rouse herself from her contemplative mood.

"Focus, Kazue, focus!"

Her attention, with surprising swiftness, shifted to a more immediate, system-related concern. Meera's words, spoken just before the scenario ended, echoed in her mind. 'When you get back, buy the skill "Friend List"…'

Without wasting another moment, Kazue turned and made her way towards the shop area, the same section Drake had just used. She approached one of the white cubes, tapped its surface, and the familiar holographic menu shimmered into existence. She quickly navigated through the options, her fingers flying across the glowing interface, looking specifically for the skill Meera had mentioned.

It wasn't hard to find. The skill popped up almost immediately, appearing clearly on the menu screen.

The price was cheap, almost negligible given the points they had accumulated. Kazue didn't hesitate and hit 'Purchase' without a second thought.

A soft chime confirmed the acquisition, and then, a new system window materialized directly before her. It was her friend list, empty for now, a blank slate waiting to be filled. She observed it for a moment, tracing the empty lines, trying to figure out how to add someone. She was about to try clicking around when another, smaller window popped up, superimposed over her empty friend list.

Kazue's eyes widened in surprise. Meera! Already? Without thinking, she pressed 'Y' with a decisive jab of her finger. The smaller window vanished, and then, Meera's name appeared on her friend list, solid and clear: [Name: Meera Kapoor][Team: Dragon Utopia]. Beside her name, a small red phone icon vibrated incessantly. Without hesitation, Kazue pressed it.

The call connected instantly, and another, larger window appeared, displaying a real-time image of Meera's face.

The woman, now perfectly healed and free of any wounds, filled the screen. She looked a little frazzled, but there was an undeniable relief in her eyes.

"Kazue! You're there! Are you okay? What happened after you left?"

She asked, her words tumbling out in a rush, a clear eagerness in her voice. Kazue, equally hurried, answered back, her voice a little breathless.

"Meera! Yes, I'm fine! We're all fine! It was… a lot. What about you? What happened after we were sent back?"

Meera sighed, running a hand through her hair.

"Things got a bit complicated, but we're okay. Solène's... a handful, as usual. Konrad's still sulking in a corner, I think. And the others are just indisposed for now. But nothing too big, fortunately."

She paused, her expression turning serious.

"How's my brother? Is he alright?"

Kazue quickly recounted everything that had transpired in the lobby. Meera listened intently, her brow furrowed.

"That's… quite a lot."

She murmured, a hint of concern in her voice.

"Talking to the Empress directly? That sounds incredibly risky. And irresponsible."

But then, a subtle softening entered her eyes.

"But… it's Adam. He usually knows what he's doing. I trust my big brother."

She paused.

"Still, it wouldn't hurt to try and help him anyway. There might be a way to avoid him going through that again."

"How?"

Kazue asked, her ears perked up. Behind her, the rest of her team, drawn by the presence of the holographic call, gathered, listening in intently. Chloe leaned in, curiosity shining in her eyes, while Katya stood a little further back, arms crossed, her expression unreadable.

"Well, I managed to speak with Beowulf a bit more, and he mentioned that there's something that might be infallible for this case, a Plot Device that..."

But before Meera could finish, another small system window abruptly popped up over Kazue's active call, demanding her attention.

Kazue's eyes widened in surprise. Angela? Here? She quickly pressed 'Y', accepting the request almost without thinking. Immediately, a third window appeared, this one asking about the call.

Kazue gasped, turning to Meera's image on the screen.

"Meera… Angela just sent a request to join the call!"

Meera's eyes, too, widened in genuine surprise. A flicker of her usual feistiness returned.

"Who? Oh, the other team leader… What does that woman want?"

She muttered under her breath, then shrugged.

"Add her. Let's see what she's after."

Kazue quickly accepted, converting the call into a group chat. In a blink, Angela's image materialized on the screen, appearing right next to Meera's.

The blonde's face was perfectly composed, calm, and utterly devoid of emotion, a stark contrast to Meera's more expressive features.

Meera greeted Angela with a sweet yet undeniably acidic tone.

"Well, well, Angela. To what do we owe the pleasure? Not here to rub us your team's first place, are you?"

Her eyes narrowed slightly, a challenging glint in their depths. Angela, however, didn't rise to the bait. Her voice was calm and completely unaffected by Meera's provocation.

"I'm merely concerned about Adam. How is he doing?"

She looked directly at Kazue, her gaze steady. The girl quickly explained everything that had happened in the lobby, just as she had to Meera, detailing Adam's current state and his intention to try and speak with the Undead Empress.

"Meera was just telling us that she'd talked to Beowulf, and he mentioned some kind of Plot Device that might help."

As Kazue spoke, she saw Angela's brow furrow slightly at the mention of Beowulf, but the woman didn't interrupt. Meera picked up the thread.

"Yes. He said there's something infallible for this case, a Plot Device called 'What you want vs What you need'. The problem is, it's an L-rank. Trying to get it through the gacha system is completely illogical, basically impossible."

As Meera spoke, Kazue and Angela exchanged a subtle glance, a shared, knowing sigh passing between them. Meera didn't know it, but that very Plot Device was one that the blonde had possessed in the previous scenario. It was thanks to that that they reached Pantheon Eternal. The irony was almost palpable.

Meera continued, oblivious to their shared knowledge.

"So the only way to get it would be to go to the 'Trade Nexus'. We'd have to find someone who has it, then trade for it, buy it, or win it somehow."

Angela's expression became thoughtful.

"The Trade Nexus… Yes, that's a good idea."

She murmured, a flicker of calculation in her eyes. Kazue, however, looked bewildered.

"The… Trade Nexus? What's that?"

Her confusion was genuine. Meera stared at her, genuinely surprised.

"You don't know what the Trade Nexus is?"

Angela cut in, her voice cool and slightly condescending, reminding Meera of the girl's relative inexperience.

"Kazue is still technically a novice. All of 'No Name' are, for the most part."

Meera opened her mouth, her eyes wide open.

"You were?? No way… Then we were beaten so badly by a bunch of newbies?!?"

Angela interrupted and explained almost immediately.

"The 'Trade Nexus' is a space, like a huge city, where users of a certain level gather to engage in various social activities. You wouldn't have a problem getting in, it unlocks after you complete your first 'collab' scenario, which you've just done."

A brief, detailed discussion ensued between the three girls. They weighed the risks, the potential benefits, and the urgency of Adam's situation. Ultimately, a consensus was reached. They would go to the Trade Nexus and try to acquire the 'What you want vs What you need' Plot Device somehow. It was a much safer bet than simply risking something going wrong with Adam's attempt to communicate with the Empress.

Meera was driven by her fierce loyalty to her "brother", willing to do anything for him. Angela stated that Adam's actions had allowed her team to emerge from such a dangerous scenario largely intact, even with the elimination of a traitor, so she would assist in the search for the Plot Device. Kazue, her face etched with deep concern, simply stated that she was worried for Adam and would do whatever she could.

It was at this moment that Drake, Katya, and Chloe finally interrupted. The blond stepped forward, his expression resolute.

"I'm coming too, no arguments."

He stated, his voice firm, leaving no room for discussion. Katya immediately chimed in.

"If Kazue's going, then I'm going too!"

She then added a rare moment of practical foresight.

"Besides, I've been to the Trade Nexus before with my previous team, before I joined Abyss. I can be your guide, Kazue, so you don't have to rely solely on someone from another team."

Chloe, ever eager to help, bounced on the balls of her feet.

"I want to go too! I want to help!"

She exclaimed, her usual energetic self. However, Sebastian, who had quietly approached from behind her, placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"I understand your desire to support the team, Chloe, but your abilities are far more crucial here."

Sebastian said, his voice kind but firm. Chloe looked bewildered.

"What do you mean?"

Sebastian explained.

"As far as I remember, your skill, [Lifeweaver's Gaze], allows you to observe the health and mental state of your target. That is something we will absolutely need to monitor Adam, especially while he attempts to communicate with the ghost. It's quite weird, actually, that we haven't utilized it for this purpose already."

Drake and Kazue both nodded in agreement, recognizing the undeniable logic in Sebastian's assessment. Chloe opened her mouth to protest, her face falling, a familiar frustration creeping into her eyes. The feeling of being relegated to a support role, of being "useless" in direct combat, washed over her once more. She sighed, a small sound of resignation, and lowered her gaze.

"Okay…"

She muttered, the word heavy with disappointment. Sebastian, meanwhile, also stated his intention to stay behind, explaining he had other matters to attend to, including the crucial task of repairing Mecha Sun Ja-In, whose mechanical body still bore the heavy damage from the battle.

"But I'm sure someone else would be delighted to accompany you."

He added with a warm smile. Just then, Falk soared from Sebastian's shoulder and landed with a gentle thump on Kazue's head, settling comfortably amidst her hair.

"Indeed!"

Falk chirped, his voice a series of metallic clicks and whistles, but surprisingly understandable.

"I simply cannot miss the opportunity to witness a place as truly fantastic as this 'Trade Nexus' with my own eyes!"

A final round of quick discussions followed, solidifying the groups. Meera and Angela, their images still on the screen, offered their farewells.

"Once you enter the Trade Nexus, contact us through the same method, and we'll find you. Good luck!"

Meera instructed Kazue, and with a final wave, both their images flickered, and the communication cut off.

Kazue closed her friend list, the blue glow of the system menu dissipating. She turned to face her teammates, who were watching her with a mixture of concern and anticipation. All of them, save for Katya, wore expressions of mild apprehension. This was new, uncharted territory for most of them.

"So… How do we get there?"

Kazue asked, a nervous tremor in her voice. Katya rolled her eyes but offer her a smile nonetheless.

"Don't worry, it's easy. Just like I showed you before the last scenario. Go to the shop menu, then 'online options', and select 'Trade Nexus'."

Kazue, Katya, and Drake, after a shared final glance, approached a different white cube in the shop area. The holographic menu appeared, and they quickly navigated to the 'online options'. They selected 'Trade Nexus'. A new System prompt materialized before them.

Kazue took a deep breath, steeling herself. Her gaze met Drake's, then Katya's. This was it. A new adventure, a new challenge, and perhaps, a solution for Adam.

"Let's do it!"

She said, a determined glint in her eyes. With a final, shared nod, all three of them simultaneously clicked 'Y'. Their bodies, along with Falk, still perched proudly on Kazue's head, shimmered. A blinding flash of light consumed them, and they vanished from the lobby, leaving Chloe and Sebastian standing alone amidst the serene white and wooden space.

The trio, with Falk still clinging to Kazue's head, reappeared in a place utterly unlike anything they had ever witnessed. It was a city, vast and sprawling, unlike any on their home world or even in the medieval fantasy scenario they had just left. Buildings of impossible design soared towards a vibrant, alien sky, their architecture a kaleidoscope of futuristic chrome, ancient stone, and organic, pulsating forms. The air buzzed with a thousand different sounds: the murmur of countless voices, the clang of unseen machinery, the distant thrum of power, the hawking cries of vendors, and the soft, melodious hum of ambient energy.

The streets below were a teeming river of life. Crowds of beings moved with an endless flow, a dizzying array of species and forms. There were figures cloaked in shimmering, iridescent fabrics, armored warriors with glowing eyes, tall, slender beings with multiple limbs, and even some that seemed to defy physical description entirely, shifting and shimmering as they moved.

Their attire was a chaotic mix of every conceivable style, from futuristic battle-suits to flowing robes of ancient design, from casual streetwear to outlandish, fantastical costumes. Stores of every conceivable kind lined the bustling thoroughfares, their windows displaying holographic wares, arcane artifacts, and technological marvels. It was a grand bazaar on an impossible scale, a marketplace where anything and everything seemed to be available.

Kazue's mouth fell open, her eyes wide, utterly overwhelmed by the sheer spectacle. She had never, in her wildest dreams, imagined something like this existed. Not in a system that forced them to fight for their lives every few days. This wasn't a battlefield or a grim scenario; this was a living, breathing city, a hub of commerce and society on a scale that defied all logic. It was a paradise, of a sort, hidden within the brutal confines of their reality.