"It seems so. Look at this, so pieces have repeating letters,"
Chang Long said, picking up a few of the crystal fragnts to examine.
"Great. So now we have to sit here and sort through all these letters?"
Devi-chan grumbled, clearly annoyed.
"Oh, stop acting like you're the one who has to sort them. Go take a break—Siegfried and I will handle this,"
Chang Long replied with a smile. Devi-chan pouted and floated away.
"I hope he's not upset by that,"
Siegfried said with a sheepish smile, feeling a bit guilty when Devi-chan threw him a brief glare before disappearing from view.
"He'll be fine. Co on, we need to hurry; it's almost morning,"
Chang Long urged.
The two of them worked together, sorting the fragnts of Estania's tear crystals into seven piles based on their letters. The most common letter was A, and the one they had not found yet was N. They pressed on, sorting quickly until the remaining pile was nearly gone. At last, Chang Long uncovered the elusive N. She carefully arranged the fragnts to spell out the na E-S-T-A-N-I-A, the owner of these tear crystals in order.
The seven letters began to glow and draw toward one another, lting as if under intense heat. They rged into a single, pristine drop of water that floated in midair. Slowly, it began to descend.
"Drink... to break the chains of the curse. Be free... to release the purity of your heart. Break free from the beast within."
"Is that the voice of the tear?"
Chang Long exclaid in awe, staring at the pure, radiant drop, as pretty as gemstones.
"Open your mouth, Chang Long. Let it fall in. If it hits the ground, it'll be wasted,"
Siegfried urged, a tinge of anxiety in his voice. Chang Long nodded and tilted her head back, opening her mouth slightly as he suggested catching the drop.
Plop...
The tear landed on her tongue. A radiant light spread from the point of contact, enveloping her entire body. The ears and tail that had marked her transformation into a feline slowly vanished. When the light faded, Chang Long appeared entirely human once more.
"Player Chang Long has consud the Estania's tear crystal. The curse of the Wall of Beast has been lifted."
The system notification brought a wide smile to Chang Long's face. Siegfried, seeing her joy, could not help but grin in satisfaction. If Chang Long was free of the curse, then surely his own freedom was not far off.
"Congratulations, master!" Brownie cheered, leaping about excitedly. Chang Long and Siegfried both laughed, amused by the little mouse's antics. She turned to Siegfried, then glanced at the unsorted fragnts that remained—fewer than ten pieces now—they felt a pang of concern.
One by one, they examined the remaining fragnts. To their dismay, none bore the letter Siegfried needed. His face fell as the realization hit—he would remain cursed and revert to his puppy form once the sun rose. Worse, Chang Long would no longer turn into the kitten for him to care for.
"It's okay. I'll help you find the last piece. You'll turn back into human. I won't leave you—you know that, right?"
Chang Long said, resting a comforting hand on his shoulder. Siegfried smiled, touched by her words. Deep down, however, he wished he could be the one protecting her. He wanted to be her first thought in every situation, the person who made her feel safe and warm. Yet, it always seed to be the other way around.
As the first rays of dawn broke over the horizon, Siegfried's human form lted away, leaving behind the small figure of a Labrador puppy. Chang Long carefully stored the six pieces they had collected, letting the rest scatter into the ether. She gently patted the puppy's back before scooping him up into her arms. The puppy's heart swelled with warmth, thumping wildly in his tiny chest. In her embrace, he silently prayed for ti to slow, for her to hold him just a little longer. Yes! This mont was enough to fill his little heart with joy.
.....
At the Gobi Wall, newly claid by the Dark Horse Guild, an unexpected pair of visitors arrived at the guild leader's tent early in the morning. Still groggy, Aswa rose from his bed and stared in astonishnt at the two individuals before him. A man and a woman, both clad in black suits, GMs stood in the entrance. The man carried an enormous sword resembling a chainsaw, while the woman held a strange gun that looked like a hairdryer. In her other hand, she held a thick, black folder. The puppy's heart swelled with warmth, thumping wildly in his tiny chest. In her embrace, he silently prayed for ti to slow, for her to hold him just a little longer. Yes! This mont was enough to fill his little puppy heart with joy.
"W... Wait, are you here to assign a redemption quest?" Aswa exclaid the last remnants of his morning drowsiness evaporated as he stared unblinkingly at the two GMs.
"Player Aswa, whose in-ga ID is Ashawin Kaewwiset. I am GM 009, and this is GM 010. We're here to inform you of your violation in Adventure World Online."
"My violation?"
Aswa repeated, his confusion growing. A pit ford in his stomach—could this be related to what he did in the past?
"That's correct. It's a violation you've evaded accountability for over a long period. However, the truth has finally surfaced. On January 7th of last year, in the ga, you used a self-created skill to destroy the Castle of Longshan, reducing it to rubble. At that ti, the system was unable to identify the perpetrator due to various factors that concealed your actions. But during your assault on the Gobi Wall last night, you used that very sa skill again. Upon investigation, the skill you used is not part of any NPC training program. It's a custom skill, which can only be created under specific guidance from a certain mysterious NPC. Currently, that NPC has only one disciple—you, Player Aswa. The skill you created is called Dark Horse Might, correct?"
GM 010's thorough explanation left Aswa speechless. He could not even muster a denial.
"Yes, that skill is mine, but what happened that ti was an accident. I didn't realize that destroying the city was against the ga's rules."
Aswa hurriedly explained himself. GM 010 let out a sharp, unsettling laugh that sent chills down Aswa's spine, before declaring coldly.
"Your excuses hold no water. Accident or not, you failed to step forward and take responsibility. You allowed the matter to drag on until now, when the very skill you created has exposed you. Therefore, we're here to issue your violation and assign you a redemption quest."
"If I refuse?"
Aswa asked. Hearing this, the two GMs exchanged knowing smiles and unsheathed their weapons. Their stance was a clear warning of what would happen if he declined.
"Consider this: the offensive power of a GM is equivalent to a beast god in its final evolution at the highest possible level in the ga. If you'd like, we can personally help you reconsider,"
GM 009 warned with good intentions.
"Is that... a threat?"
Aswa asked, his brow furrowing. With how the Gms phrased it, this would not end in just a couple strikes.
"This isn't a threat—it's a statent of fact about the consequences of your decision. Between us, accepting the quest—even if you fail—would be better than facing the punishnt of GMs. Not only are our weapons devastatingly powerful, but they also have unique effects that most players find absolutely chilling."
GM 009 explained. Aswa glanced at their weapons, wondering what unique effects they might possess. He did not want to find out the hard way. Sighing deeply, he nodded reluctantly as he t their gazes.
"Fine. I'll accept the quest."
"Excellent. Here's your assignnt,"
GM 009 said, handing him a quest docunt. Aswa stared at the quest na in shock. It was one of the most challenging quests in the ga: Heavenly Avian Temple.
"Heavenly Avian Temple quest. Wait—why am I not allowed to randomly draw a quest like everyone else?"
"Your right to choose quests expired a year ago. Good luck with this quest! Oh, one more thing—there's another player currently working on this redemption quest as well. If you don't want to do it alone, find them and team up. Goodbye."
GM 010 delivered the final remark without a shred of sympathy. The incident in question had led to her being reprimanded by the head GM, forcing her to take on a redemption quest herself under a standard player character, devoid of GM privileges in Aswa's stead. This left her with lingering resentnt toward him.
Once the two GMs left, a crowd of curious onlookers flooded into Aswa's tent, peppering him with questions. He rolled his eyes, exasperated, and simply inford them of his upcoming redemption quest. He instructed them to fetch the guild's deputy leader to oversee city-building tasks in his absence, while those under Ma were tasked with locating mines or negotiating the price with players who owned them.
Aswa packed his essentials, preparing for the journey. He needed to return to the nearest city to gather more details about the quest at the player service building before setting off to locate the other player on the sa quest. Despite the circumstances, Aswa could not help but smile to himself. For months, he had been tied up with guild responsibilities, leaving little ti for personal exploration in the ga. The redemption quest felt like a ticket to freedom—a rare opportunity to step away from guild duties and enjoy a bit of adventure, even if it was under the guise of an obligatory task.
Late morning, a little Labrador stirred from his slumber. Siegfried awoke to find himself still cradled in the arms of the woman he loved with all his heart. As he gazed dreamily at her sleeping face, she began to stir. Chang Long reached out to gently stroke his head, giving him a kind smile. Siegfried frowned slightly; her gesture felt like she was doting on a pet.
"Let's eat. We've got more shards of the Estania's tear crystal to find,"
Chang Long said cheerfully, sitting up and pulling out her dining equipnt. She activated her Horn of Abundance, filling the table with an array of dishes. Brownie gleefully tucked into his beloved sunflower seeds, Flatear munched on elental gemstones, and Kitsune enjoyed a steak. The three ghosts, as always, received their offerings and were satisfied.
After finishing her al early, Chang Long retrieved two wooden figurines. One was cracked and close to breaking, while the other was brand new. Everyone stopped eating, turning their attention to her, knowing exactly what she was about to do.
"Spirit Transfer,"
Chang Long intoned, placing her palm on the head of the cracked figurine. A pure white soul, glowing faintly, rose into the air, staying close to her hand. With deliberate care, she moved her hand toward the newer figurine, transferring the spirit within.
"Spirit Transfer complete. Player Chang Long has successfully transferred the soul of Fluffy Head-chan."
The system notification confird her success.
"Summon Fluffy Head-chan."
Chang Long called forth the soul, and the drowsy little lion woke up, blinking as he looked around, clearly disoriented. Though it had only been a few days since his confinent within the damaged figurine, it felt like years had passed. His gaze eventually landed on the woman before him, and sothing stirred deep within his mory.
"Master?"
Fluffy Head-chan asked.
"How's it going, sleepy lion?"
Chang Long greeted with a smile, and Fluffy Head-chan responded with a look of heartfelt gratitude. Then ca the joyful reunion. Flatear was the first to leap at Fluffy Head-chan, tackling him playfully and sending them both tumbling. Soon after, Kitsune, Brownie, Devi-chan, Hisa-chan, and Alice-chan joined in, offering warm congratulations and playful pats. The little lion's cheeks seed to flush with emotion as warmth radiated through the group. Even as a spirit, Fluffy Head-chan could feel it—this was the unique magic of friendship and companionship. These feelings embodied everything the words represented, and he felt it deeply now.
What started as a simple lunch beca a celebratory feast to welco Fluffy Head-chan back. Afterward, everyone banded together to continue the search for the shards of Estania's Tear Crystal to help restore Siegfried to his human form. However, searching during the day proved challenging. The sunlight made it difficult to discern the faint glow of the shards.
The group's ticulous search drew the curiosity of nearby players, who were hunting beasts. Many gathered to watch on their break from the hunt. By evening, the group was exhausted and sat by the riverside to rest. They laid out the shards they had collected in the middle and began sorting through them. Chang Long focused on finding N—the only letter they still lacked.
"Let's eat first. The pets are starving, and we still have the whole night ahead. If we don't find it today, we'll keep searching until we do,"
Devi-chan suggested. Chang Long nodded, summoning food from the Horn of Abundance.
"You all eat first. I'll sort through these. There's not much left—it won't take long,"
she reassured her companions and Siegfried, who looked on with concern.
After so ti, with a shout of excitent, she held up a glowing shard. The translucent fragnt bore the letter N, shining faintly. Pushing aside the unwanted shards, she arranged the letters in order to spell E-S-T-A-N-I-A.
The seven letters began to rge, lting together as if heated by an invisible fla. They transford into a single, pristine droplet that hovered in the air. Slowly, the droplet descended, captivating Chang Long and Siegfried, who were monts away from regaining their human form.
"Drink... to break the chains of the curse. Be free... to release the purity of your heart. Break free from the beast within."
Siegfried, still in his puppy form, opened his mouth to catch the droplet. His body radiated a brilliant light as everyone, including Chang Long and the pets, watched in anticipation. When the light finally faded, the handso young man appeared before the onlookers once again, this included the players who had been observing their action.
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