The Town

The morning after Sharish's sudden arrival, the forest felt... different.

Sunlight filtered gently through the trees, touching the cabin's worn wood. Birds chirped lazily, as if unaware that something unnatural stirred in the air. Nicole sat on a flat stone, silently sharpening one of her daggers. Her movements were calm, precise—like always.

A few feet away, Sharish fiddled with her cube for the sixth time, frustration etched across her face.

Nicole spoke without looking up. "Still not used to it?"

Sharish exhaled, annoyed. "I can summon guns, crossbows, even ammo. But it always feels like I'm holding someone else's weapon."

"You'll get over that," Nicole said flatly. "I did."

Sharish's lips curved slightly. "That so?"

With a flick of her wrist, she summoned a long-barreled rifle. After a pause, she muttered, "Scope."

A small shimmer—then click. The scope locked into place.

Sharish blinked in surprise, then smiled wider. "Hah. Got it."

They spent the rest of the morning strengthening the cabin's defenses. Nicole showed her how to craft silent tripwires from ghost-thread and trigger lines buried in grass. Sharish climbed trees, planting warning arrows rigged to whistle if tripped. It wasn't much, but it was something.

That afternoon, while scouting the ridge, Sharish froze.

"Nicole…" she whispered, pointing ahead.

Nicole joined her.

There it stood—like a game asset dropped into the forest by accident.

A town.

Small but complete. Cobblestone streets, lanterns, rooftops in neat rows. It hadn't been there the day before.

Nicole narrowed her eyes. "Another update."

Sharish tilted her head. "Should we go now?"

"Tomorrow. Let's see what changes."

The next morning, the town was different.

Five people moved among the buildings—calm, mechanical. One swept a porch with the same motion, over and over. Another stacked apples, only to restack them.

NPCs.

Nicole approached the nearest one.

"Hello there good sir, may I ask something?"

"Yes, how may I help you?" the male NPC replied.

"Have you seen or heard the name GodDemon?"

The NPC paused and replied eerily. "He is our god. Lord and savior. And he watches us. And corrects our mistakes."

Every other villager answered the same way.

Sharish tried to ask differently, but the result was the same: they were devoted to GodDemon.

Later that day, they spent the afternoon mapping the area. Sharish climbed high above the rooftops, crafting a rifle scope and scanning the surroundings. Nicole checked alleyways and windows, using her cube to detect shifting shadows in the structures.

It was too perfect.

Too scripted.

Too fake.

As they left the town near dusk, something burst from the tree line—two monsters, low-tier but aggressive.

Sharish didn't hesitate. Her sniper fired once. "I've got the tall one."

Nicole disappeared, reappeared behind the second beast. One clean strike to the tendons, and the thing collapsed.

The forest went quiet again.

Sharish slung her weapon back. "We're getting good at this."

Nicole didn't smile, but nodded once. "We're adapting."

Then the sky turned red.

A glowing message appeared, floating like a banner of blood across the canopy:

[ NEW QUEST: TOWN DEFENSE ]

Protect the artificial town from incoming threats.

Estimated Last Arrival: 24 Hours

Includes: Tiered Monster Classes, Variant Wolves, One Dragon

You may use all abilities. You will be watched.

Good luck, girls.

~ GodDemon

Sharish backed up a step. "You've gotta be kidding…"

Nicole read it twice, then closed her eyes.

"We prepare tonight."

Sharish nodded slowly, already thinking of vantage points and sniper nests. "I'll start mapping defenses."

Nicole's voice lowered. "And I'll trap the shadows."

They turned back toward the cabin.

But just as they reached the clearing—

BOOM.

The sound echoed from the town.

Smoke curled into the air.

Nicole's eyes widened.

"No… it's too early."

They ran.