5. Little Brat

The distant sound of the foghorn echoed through the atmosphere, enough to force every living thing except the two into hiding, its deep resonance mimicking the sensation of an earthquake. Birds erupted from the treetops in a frantic flight, escaping in a wild panic.

Aubrey tensed at the sound, reaching into the bag slung around her shoulder. "Thats my cue" she muttered, pulling out a metal ball with a hole at the middle, its surface emitting a soft blue glow, reminiscent of a power core.

Charlotte stared at the device, intrigued by its properties. She recalled seeing something of similar features—her grandmother had once worked on an update for the game, and this very core was part of it . It was referred as 'RevX' by her grandmother.

But that update had never been finished.

Why?

Because it usually had problems and various errors and the old woman had tragically passed away from a mental illness.

But if the update was left unfinished, then how could a game character who was clearly not even the player still be using it? Charlotte pondered, curiously piqued by this fact. She decided to stay silent, wanting to witness this strange invention firsthand.

Aubrey took a step away from Charlotte to create a safe space between them. She pressed her finger to the blue light, which immediately shifted to a blinking red. Aubrey hurled the core across the air, and within moments, a blinding white light filled the entire space.

Charlotte shielded her eyes with her hand. The core spun in mid-air, expanding as it shattered into smaller pieces, each part transforming into mechanical components that connected to form something whole. Aubrey's eyes lit up with excitement as she watched her creation materialize before her.

In what seemed like no more than a minute, the light dimmed, and Charlotte blinked open her eyes. What stood before her was something out of a futuristic dream—a hovering motorbike, tireless, levitating mere inches above the ground. Charlotte could hardly believe what she was seeing. This was the first piece of tech she had ever encountered where the term 'tech' didn't even begin to encompass its existence.

Aubrey climbed onto the vehicle. She pulled out a pair of goggles and slid them over her eyes, before gripping the handles. Just as she prepared to leave, a sudden snap of a branch startled the two. They turned quickly, spotting a group of ten ruffians, armed with swords and spears, closing in on them, clearly having not seen the five ruffians who were to board the ship with them.

Charlotte, gripped with fear turned to Aubrey in hopes that she would lend a helping hand. After all, she had saved Aubrey from the ruffians and prevented them from selling her to some lowly merchant. But Aubrey seemed unconcerned. "Cheerios" she said with a playful wave before revving the vehicle and driving off.

*That little brat* Charlotte thought with a bitter heart, feeling betrayed. She quickly rose to her feet, adrenaline pumping through her veins, the instinct to survive kicking in. But her movement have away her position.

"Oi, who's that, and where are the others?" one of the ruffians called out. He quickened his pace as the other two followed suit.

Charlotte's heart pounded as she picked up her clothing and sprinted, trying her best to block the pain coursing through her body. She tried to use the drum in her inventory but the system tab blinked an ominous red.

[Critical 10HP. Due to the current situation of the player, they cannot use items or abilities.]

The system's warning flashed on the screen.

Charlotte groaned, her body screaming for relief, but she pressed on, pushing herself forward. In the chaos, she tripped over a rock and tumbled down a muddy slope, ending

Charlotte groaned in frustration, her body screaming for relief, but she pressed on, pushing herself forward. In the chaos, she tripped over a rock and tumbled down a muddy slope, ending up near a cliff's edge. Desperate, she managed to grab the edge, her muscles straining and burning with pain as she fought very hard to hold herself up.

The fog below was very quite thick, and Charlotte had no guarantee of knowing if there was water beneath her. Using all the strength and resolve she had left in her, she dragged herself up, only to see the ruffians sliding down carefully from the hill.

The fog below the cliff was thick, and Charlotte had no way of knowing if there was water beneath her. Using all her strength, she dragged herself up, only to see the ruffians sliding down the hill toward her. The fear of seeing them approach her almost caused her to fall.

But as she made another attempt to climb, her grip failed her. Her fingers lost their hold, and with a sudden rush of air, Charlotte fell into the fog below. As she descended, her thoughts raced—was she unlucky or had fate yet again turned its cruel hand?

She could hear the ruffians above, searching for her, but they couldn't see her in the fog. Bracing herself for impact, Charlotte's body hit the unknown with a splash. Against all odds, the fall had spared her.

Slowly, she pulled herself out of the water, coughing violently as the liquid burned her throat. Her vision blurred, but through the haze, she saw the faint outline of a cave, a small flicker of flames dancing near its entrance. Somebody stood there with a torch in their hand.

Charlotte stretched out her hand, trying to reach out to the person but the system interrupted, displaying a glaring red message:

[Player Experiencing Fatigue. Initiating Temporary Shutdown.]

Charlotte succumbed to her exhaustion, her body falling limp, leaving her completely defenseless.

When she regained consciousness, she found herself lying on a bed crafted from straw. It bore a striking resemblance to the one she had awoken on when she first stumbled into this unfamiliar world. Yet, this bed was more comfortable, a soft cloth draped over her body.

The system reappeared with a standard message:

Player Identified!

[E-Rank, Level 5 Wanderer]

[Powers: Pyrokinetics]

[Abilities]

Fiery Fist (Unlocked)

Flame Leap (Unlocked)

Pyrokinetic Flight (Locked)

Flame Breathe (Locked)

Blazing Shield (Locked)

[110 HP Restored!]

Charlotte's eyes fluttered open, her gaze fixed on the system notification hovering above her before it vanished, revealing the interior of a quaint thatched house. She tried to move, cautiously testing for any lingering pain, but found none. Lifting her hand, she waved it back and forth, relieved to feel no discomfort.

Her thoughts drifted back to the unknown person she had seen emerging from the cave. Everything had gone blank after that, but she felt certain that this enigmatic figure was responsible for her miraculous recovery.

Who was that angel sent by the almighty? she pondered, unable to grasp the mystery. The only way to find answers was to venture outside this strange hut. Turning her head to the right, she noticed an old wooden desk cluttered with vials and flasks resembling potions. Beside it stood a wooden mannequin adorned with her outfit, now enhanced with animal skins and fabric. The previously strapless attire had been modified to include long sleeves that covered her arms.

Pulling off the blanket, Charlotte glanced down to see herself dressed in tight undergarments, the straps thin enough to grip her skin. She stepped off the bed and approached the mannequin, admiring the updated outfit for a moment before taking it off from it and putting it on.

Charlotte stepped outside, greeted by an entirely new landscape. Unlike the oppressive forest she had endured the previous day, this place felt open and liberating. Distant mountains loomed in the background, and fields of grass swayed gracefully with the wind.

She took a few steps away from the old, weathered hut, inhaling the crisp morning air with her eyes closed. As she opened them, her gaze landed on a figure standing amidst a cassava plantation, wielding a hoe as they worked on the ridges.

Perhaps this was the person who had saved her.

Curious, she walked toward the figure, eager to learn about their identity. However, as she reached the plantation, the person was gone. Scanning the whole farm, she finally spotted them again—this time clearly a woman, though her muscular build could easily be mistaken for a man's.

But Charlotte was sure now, it was indeed a woman from the tribal outfits she wore.

As she cautiously approached the figure, Charlotte waved her hand. "Hey, excuse me?!" she called out loudly. When she reached the person, she placed her hand on their shoulder—only for it to pass right through, the figure dissolving into a plume of black smoke.

A system message blinked before her:

[Trial: Find The Real Savior]

[Tries: 1/10]

[Reward: ???]

Charlotte stared at the message, her heart sinking. She wasn't prepared for this. She knew what a trial quest entailed, and after the ordeal with that stranger, she was far from ready.

"Oh no, are you kidding me?!" she exclaimed, frantically searching for a 'Cancel Trial' option, but there was none.

Are trials supposed to be optional? she wondered. Exhausted from the constant challenges since waking up in that cave, all she wanted was a moment of peace, but the system had other plans. She looked around and spotted several identical figures—at least nine—all facing a rocky wall with their backs turned to her.

Charlotte sighed heavily, frustration mounting as she approached them one by one. After eight failed attempts, she was physically and mentally drained. Gripping her pigtails tightly, she fought the urge to rip them out in sheer exasperation. With only two figures left, she steeled herself, determined to find the real savior.

Before she touched another, a thought struck her. Why not just get a glance at their faces? It won't hurt to take a peek. Smiling smugly, she stroked her chin and turned to check their identities.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, my dear," came the soft, elderly voice from behind her. "Glancing at their faces could trigger a one hour trial"

Charlotte froze, turning to face another figure. This time, the individual faced her, a wooden antique mask resembling an owl's face concealed their identity. Charlotte's eyes widened as she scanned the figure, noting their tall, imposing frame and a voice that sounded oddly familiar.

"Wh... Who are you?" she stammered.

The woman slowly removed the mask. Charlotte locked eyes with her, stepping back in disbelief after seeing her face. It felt unreal, like a dream she couldn't wake from.

The unknown lady smiled, her red pupils, harsh lookin but gleaming with an unsettling purity. A scar stretched across her cheek to bridge of her nose, accentuated by a subtle grin. Her long, gray hair was braided into cornrows. Despite the differences—the scar, the slightly more muscular build, and the numerous scars across her body—there was no mistaking it.

The woman looked exactly like Charlotte.