The next morning, in a fabricated reality composed of myriad vibrant colours, the sky and ground shimmered with a psychedelic intensity, akin to a vivid, ethereal dreamscape. This illusory realm was a direct manifestation of Old Curler's power, a testament to her being a Dream Weaver-class character.
Standing beside her was the formidable Gunslinger, known as 50 Guns. They patiently awaited the arrival of the necromancer, Lady Flux. The space in front of them then rent open dramatically, revealing another dimension. This new realm strikingly resembled the Matrix, with verdant digital codes—streams of 0s and 1s—lining the sky and space like ethereal, glowing pillars.
The two S-rank characters remained completely unfazed by the sight. The realm was not new to them. They recognised it as the Pure Game Realm, sometimes referred to as the Gamer's Realm due to its unique, exclusive nature. This domain was exclusively accessible to special characters. Ordinary individuals could neither perceive this realm, even when it appeared as it did now, nor could they enter it. The realm simply excluded regular players entirely.
Old Curler and 50 Guns discerned a figure steadily approaching them from a distance within the Gamer Realm. It was the distinct form of Lady Flux. She wore a crisp white dress shirt and sleek leather trousers that elegantly accentuated her alluring contours. She walked calmly towards the two S-rank characters positioned just outside the Gamer's Realm, pulling a small white suitcase deliberately behind her.
Suddenly, another imposing figure materialised on her left flank. It was the same undead entity from the trio's previous tumultuous encounter. 50 Guns' eyes widened; he was visibly startled to see the undead again. Furthermore, the undead's aura felt overwhelmingly oppressive.
'Has that summon grown more powerful?' 50 Guns wondered, a flicker of concern in his gaze.
50 Guns intently observed the undead's appearance. It seemed taller, and its gothic armour now exuded a palpable, malevolent aura. The aura was so intense it manifested as thick, shadowy tendrils that spontaneously writhed and flailed around it. The green glow in its eyes was subdued yet captivating in a sinister way. The undead trailed faithfully behind Lady Flux like a devoted bodyguard and loyal follower.
Lady Flux exited the Gamer Realm with her powerful summon. She surveyed the vivid realm that Old Curler had forged. She looked at Old Curler and calmly remarked, "A psychedelic dream reality?"
Old Curler merely shrugged. Lady Flux's summon seemed to revert to its normal state the instant it exited the Gamer Realm. Its armour ceased exuding and manifesting the malevolent aura. Concurrently, its eyes glowed brighter and lost their evil, captivating charm.
50 Guns warily regarded the undead before shifting his attention to Lady Flux. He said to her, his voice tinged with unease, "Why did you summon it?"
50 Guns felt there were no immediate threats around their meeting point; thus, the conspicuous display Lady Flux had orchestrated seemed entirely unnecessary.
Lady Flux tilted her head back, surprised. She replied, "It was an extra precautionary measure. I would rather be overly cautious than injured."
50 Guns lowered his gaze, conceding the point. Her explanation was logical. Given that the psychedelic dream reality was itself a significant precautionary measure, why wouldn't Lady Flux also prepare her ultimate safeguard?
He murmured, "But it feels excessive."
Lady Flux gently nudged him in the chest with her shoulder. She stated, her voice firm, "Nothing is too much to ensure one can survive to witness another day."
50 Guns nodded in agreement, acknowledging the truth in her words.
Lady Flux looked at Old Curler and 50 Guns, her expression serious. She declared, "Lady and gentleman, we are assembled. We have reached a decision, and we shall execute it."
She then embraced Old Curler and 50 Guns. The latter duo then stepped into the Gamer Realm. The moment their feet touched the realm's ground, their appearances dramatically transformed, adopting their powerful avatar forms.
50 Guns transformed into a seven-foot-tall man wearing a sleek black bulletproof vest over his oxblood-coloured suit jacket. He wore an eyepatch over his right eye and held an exaggerated, custom revolver in his right hand. A gleaming golden utility belt encircled his waist, independent of his trouser loops, laden with various gadgets.
Old Curler transformed into a towering seven-foot-tall woman with six pairs of arms, each ending in delicate, capable hands. She now possessed three pairs of eyes, her gaze encompassing multiple perspectives. Her usually shoulder-length black hair now cascaded dramatically below her waist. Her primary pair of arms held open a large, thick, leather-bound book containing over a thousand pages. Just as the previous day, she wore a pristine white dress with a voluminous, intricately floral hem. The hem extended gracefully, trailing behind her like a regal cathedral train.
Old Curler and 50 Guns assumed dignified yet utterly formidable appearances.
Lady Flux said to them, a rare hint of solemnity in her voice, "Good luck, comrades; humanity's freedom rests upon your shoulders."
The spatial rift began to close, shrinking rapidly. Old Curler and 50 Guns watched the sealing process intently. Before the final inches could be sealed, 50 Guns exclaimed at the top of his voice, "Cringe!"
The rift sealed completely, leaving only the two behind. Old Curler chuckled, amused by 50 Guns' mischievous jab at Lady Flux's parting speech.
On the other side, Lady Flux bit her lip, a faint smile playing on her lips. She murmured, "Clever of you to wait until the last moment to say that."
However, she smiled genuinely. The psychedelic dream reality shattered like brittle glass, but it crumbled silently, dissolving into nothingness. She found herself materialised in a modest, empty apartment in Section 2.
"Not a bad location for a covert operation," Lady Flux assessed the apartment, surveying her new surroundings.
She had materialised directly in the apartment's bedroom after the psychedelic reality had dissolved. She sat down on a nearby chair in the room while the undead diligently began unpacking her luggage.
Meanwhile, at Section 2.5's central police station, Ivan awaited official clearance from detention. Daiyu had arrived at the police station to provide crucial proof of ownership for her phone and additionally offer compelling testimony in Ivan's favour.
Daiyu did not come alone. She was accompanied by Chioma, who patiently waited in the lobby while Daiyu gave her testimony.
Close to an hour elapsed before Ivan was finally released. After Daiyu had testified about the thief snatching her phone and Ivan's subsequent pursuit to recover it, some police officers enquired about the precise location of the theft. She provided the details, and the officers proceeded to review the previous night's surveillance footage on the street where the incident occurred.
The police officers had initially reviewed the footage of Ivan defending himself vigorously in the alley before examining the footage of the actual snatching incident. Ivan had informed the officers that the thief was a special character and had dangerously misused his special abilities to attempt to harm him. However, the officer handling the case deemed this initial evidence insufficient to release Ivan.
Ivan had to call upon Daiyu as a vital witness to assist him further. Her detailed testimony played a crucial role in ultimately securing his release.