Rin sat on my window sill, her blue wings shimmering before they slowly dissolved into light particles. She looked around my small, messy room with a critical eye, stopping at the half-eaten bowl of noodles on my desk.
"You're living like a ghost, Prasenjit," she said, her voice dropping the playful tone. "A ghost with the power of a god. That's a dangerous combination."
I tightened my grip on the obsidian pendant. "I'm not interested in fame, Rin. I just want to survive and keep the System."
"Survival isn't free," she countered, tossing a small holographic projector onto my bed. It activated instantly, displaying a 3D map of the city. One area, an old industrial zone near the docks, was pulsing with a violent violet light. "This is the 'Rank C Dungeon' I told you about. The Government thinks it's a routine anomaly. They're wrong. My scanners show a 'World Boss' is gestating inside."
[System Notification: Map Data Integrated.]
[New Quest: The Industrial Raid]
[Objective: Infiltrate the Rank C Dungeon before the Government blockade.]
[Reward: Class Evolution Scroll & 5,000 Gold Coins.]
My eyes widened. A 'Class Evolution Scroll'. That was the holy grail for any player. It was the only way to move from being a 'Zero' to a specialized class like a Shadow Monarch or a Void Hunter.
"Why tell me this?" I asked, looking Rin straight in the eyes. "You could sell this info to the Association for millions."
Rin smirked, her silver goggles reflecting the blue glow of my System screen. "The Association is too slow. They follow rules, they fill out forms, and they take all the best loot for themselves. I want the core of that World Boss, and I need someone with 'Zero' energy to bypass the dungeon's security. You help me get in, and you keep whatever else you find. Do we have a deal?"
I looked at the map, then at my own hands. I was only Level 3, but the rewards were too great to ignore. If I stayed here, the Association would eventually find me. If I went with Rin, I had a chance to become something more.
"Fine," I said, extending my hand. "We have a deal."
[Alliance Formed: Prasenjit & Rin]
[Time until Raid: 47 Hours.]