MISSION SUMMARY AND NEW STRATEGIES

The night was deep, and the weary figures of four teams trudged back from their grueling boss battles, their destination the familiar, if somewhat unsettling, Mushroom Forest. But their homeward journey was abruptly halted. A monstrous plume of black smoke billowed into the night sky, its source the very heart of the forest, the location of their hidden base – Sharon's old laboratory.

A sense of urgency propelled them forward. Atlatia and Kairasu, swift as the wind they commanded, were the first to breach the treeline. Behind them, Halvia and Hyldia, grounded and resolute, arrived next. The Water Team, Saland, Haytham, Shimmon, and Christy, followed close behind, their expressions grim. Finally, Rabajen, Rick, Sting, and Ken emerged from the shadows.

What greeted them was a scene of utter devastation. A gaping crater scarred the earth where the underground laboratory had once stood, a raw wound in the forest floor. The surrounding trees were no more, reduced to blackened, brittle husks. And then they saw her. Sylene lay still, her back propped against a charred remnant of what might have been a mighty oak. A tear marred the pristine white of her lab coat at her abdomen, yet no blood stained the fabric.

Near her stood a figure of imposing stature. A tall man, cloaked in a black toga, his long black hair cascading past his shoulders, his eyes twin pools of shadow. A sheathed long sword rested against his back, an ominous presence. An aura, thick and potent, radiated from him, a palpable force that dwarfed the combined strength of everyone present.

Rabajen, his brow furrowed, broke the stunned silence. "What in the blazes happened here?!"

Saland's voice was sharp with concern. "Were you attacked?"

Kairasu, ever observant, directed his question at Sylene. "And who might this gentleman beside you be?"

Shimmon, his gaze fixed on the newcomer, spoke in a low, almost reverent tone. "His beauty… it's on a level I've never witnessed. His soul… it possesses a pure yet profoundly dark allure."

Sylene, her voice calm despite the surrounding destruction, turned her attention to her comrades. "Before I explain everything, I need to know how your missions against the various bosses went. How many keys did we manage to secure, and what were our losses?"

Atlatia, her gaze distant as if replaying the battle, began her report. "The assault on the Air Boss went reasonably well. After a treacherous climb up the mountain, we found a staircase of clouds leading to the portal. Stepping through, we arrived on an island adrift in the sky. The boss spawned shortly after, an aggressive entity with formidable abilities. He managed to take down Narasa first, even with her Admin Mode Instal active. Her venom, usually so potent, was rendered useless by the boss's wind, which simply outsped her. Heichell fell next, attempting his own Admin Mode Instal as the boss unleashed a wind attack so sharp it could slice through his protective barrier."

Kairasu picked up the narrative. "Then Atlatia and I activated our Admin Mode Instals and finally brought the boss down. We did retrieve the first key, but our victory was short-lived. As soon as we had it, three hunters ambushed us, trying to snatch the key. Thankfully, we managed to eliminate them." Atlatia reached out and placed a glowing, golden key in Sylene's outstretched hand.

A soft light emanated from the key as Sylene nodded. "Well done. And the rest of you?"

Halvia's voice was heavy with regret. "Our mission started with the usual VR WORLD generated enemies, but we eventually reached the summit of the volcano and plunged into its fiery depths, finding the boss portal at the bottom. It transported us to a flat, volcanic plain, and the boss, a being of pure molten lava, erupted from the ground. We engaged him immediately, but he was incredibly strong and possessed terrifying regeneration. Sarake activated her Admin Mode Instal, hoping to counter his power, but she was instantly incinerated by his flames. Riagard managed to shield Hyldia and me from a massive fireball, sacrificing himself in the process. Finally, Hyldia and I activated our Admin Mode Instals and managed to hold our own against the boss."

Hyldia's voice trembled slightly as she added, "But just before we could deliver the final blow and claim the key, a hunter, who had been concealed the entire time, fired an energy beam and defeated the boss before us, stealing the key. Her name was Velin."

Sylene's expression softened with sympathy. "You fought bravely, I'm sure. I'm sorry for Sarake and Riagard. But the worst news is that Sayler now has another key." She turned to the next team. "Saland, how did your mission fare?"

Saland recounted their experience. "After our underwater journey, we reached the boss portal and found ourselves in what appeared to be an endless, boundless sea. The only land was a platform made of some strange, aqua-green material. Upon reaching it, we saw the colossal statue that was the boss. We also encountered four hunters, one of whom was a commander. The statue was slow, so we focused on the hunters first. I took on the commander, Haytham fought a skilled swordsman, Christy faced a woman who could generate pink energy beams – the same one Halvia and Hyldia encountered, I believe – and Shimmon battled a powerful melee fighter. After defeating all four, we immediately charged the boss, but the commander activated his Fragments ability at the last possible second and defeated the boss before we could. He grabbed the key, but before he could escape back through the portal, we all attacked him. He managed to throw the key into the portal just before we eliminated him. We lost the key." Sylene let out a weary sigh. "So, we have only one key. This puts us at a significant disadvantage. We still don't know if there will be only one portal leading to the Sphere of Fate or multiple ones. Rabajen, what about your team?"

Rabajen began his tale. "We ventured into the Desert of the Sands of Death as instructed, reaching the very heart where you said a mini-boss would be. Initially, we found nothing, but we were soon swarmed by a large number of hunters who had followed us, led by a general."

Rick interjected. "Then, the mini-boss erupted from beneath the sand. Grimborg, in a display of incredible bravery, decided to face the entire horde of hunters alone, while Sting, Ken, and I would take on the mini-boss, and Rabajen the commander. Grimborg fought valiantly against overwhelming odds, and after a prolonged battle, he made the ultimate sacrifice, unleashing all his power in a massive explosion of green electricity, taking himself and all the surrounding hunters with him."

Sting continued, his voice tinged with respect. "We, on the other hand, faced and defeated the scorpion mini-boss. It was a formidable opponent with incredibly tough armor, but thanks to our Admin Mode Instals, we managed to take it down."

Rabajen concluded, "As for me, I faced the enemy general. We fought for a long time, a grueling battle against a very strong opponent with impressive techniques. But in that fight, I managed to unlock my true potential and finally defeated him." Sting's eyes widened slightly. "I can sense it. Your soul has grown larger, and it's a vibrant crimson. You're definitely much stronger than before." Rabajen chuckled, scratching the back of his head. "Haha, thanks. I'm just glad I'm not a burden to you youngsters anymore."

Sting then turned his attention back to the present. "So, Sylene, what exactly happened here? And who is this guy beside you? His aura is immense."

Sylene began her explanation. "While you were all dealing with the bosses, the laboratory was attacked by hunters. A commander breached our defenses, defeated Crowar, and reached the main hall. To protect the laboratory's secrets, I transferred all the data to a secure drive and initiated the self-destruct sequence. The commander then summoned an entire army of hunters, which I faced on my own. Meanwhile, Bruhsuperdoom and Benamoth confronted the commander, who proved to be superior to both of them. However, in that moment of crisis, Bruhsuperdoom and Benamoth fully unlocked their memories and achieved complete synchronization. This fusion resulted in… Vector, the glitch of the end, the person standing beside me."

All eyes turned to Vector, whose expression remained serious, almost devoid of emotion. But then, he spoke, his voice a low, resonant hum. "I am the amalgamation of Bruhsuperdoom and Benamoth. I possess all their memories, and I can attest, Rabajen, that you have grown significantly stronger since our last encounter when I was Bruhsuperdoom. You have perhaps become one of the strongest humans alive. But I, as the glitch of the end, stand above even divine beings, for I am the end itself."

Rabajen nodded slowly. "You speak the truth. I have indeed become immensely strong, yet your very presence dwarfs us all."

Vector's gaze seemed to pierce through Rabajen. "I perceive that your innate ability of resistance is gone. It is as if your power has evolved into something beyond. It is no longer an innate skill or a mere power; it feels as though all energy within you has been transmuted into pure force, which now manifests as your very aura."

Kairasu, curious, inquired, "Can you perceive our powers as well?"

Vector replied, "I possess the ability to manipulate all existing singularities, including abilities akin to your own."

Sylene then projected a holographic screen into the air. "It appears the time is drawing near. Two portals leading to the Sphere of Fate have appeared. Sayler has likely combined the two keys he acquired into one. But I doubt he will allow us easy passage through our portal. He has only two generals remaining, and I anticipate he will deploy them to intercept us."

Haytham's hand instinctively went to the hilt of his weapon. "So, what's the plan?"

Sylene outlined their strategy. "The plan is as follows: Shimmon and Christy, you will face the two generals guarding the second portal. Your mission is to distract them, to prevent them from attacking Saland and Haytham, who will carry our single key. The two of you will likely find Sayler within the dimension of the Sphere of Fate. Your objective is to prevent him from claiming the sphere. We cannot fathom the consequences for the VR WORLD if someone like him were to gain possession of such a potent and dangerous artifact."

Christy's eyes narrowed with determination. "When does the mission begin?"

Sylene's gaze swept over her weary comrades. "Rest until tomorrow morning. You must all be exhausted. The final mission will commence at the first light of dawn."

As Sylene's words hung in the air, a sense of grim resolve settled over the group. They dispersed, seeking what little rest they could find before the final, decisive battle that awaited them at sunrise.