Crimson eyes glowed in the darkness.Dozens of them.Luna's heart hammered against her ribs as the underground corridor filled with low, hungry growls."Formation!" Kael ordered.Steel scraped against steel as Black Phoenix instantly moved into position.Elena raised her staff."Light Burst!"A sphere of white light exploded above the group.The darkness retreated.Luna finally saw what surrounded them.Not monsters.Hounds.Skeletal hounds covered in black smoke, their empty eye sockets burning crimson.Ryan cursed under his breath."Shadow Hounds."Luna turned sharply."You know them?"His expression darkened."They don't appear until much later."The words hit her like a physical blow.He really was another reincarnated player.Kael's eyes narrowed."You've seen these creatures before?"Ryan looked at him for a moment.Then he smiled faintly."Something like that."The hounds attacked.They moved with terrifying speed, leaping from the shadows toward the front line.Marcus slammed

The news spread through Ironstone City before noon. Black Phoenix had recruited the mysterious girl from the dungeon break. Luna did not need anyone to tell her. She could feel it in the way people stared as she walked through the streets beside Elena. Merchants paused mid-conversation. Adventurers whispered behind their hands. Even the guards at the city gate looked at her with unusual curiosity. Elena nudged her gently. "Try not to look so nervous." "I'm not nervous." "You've been holding your breath for the last minute." Luna exhaled sharply. "Fine. Maybe a little." Elena laughed softly. "You'll get used to it." Luna wasn't sure she wanted to. They reached the central market where Black Phoenix had set up a temporary supply station. Marcus was arguing with a merchant over the price of healing potions. "That's robbery." "It's a fair price." "It's daylight robbery." "Then don't buy them." Marcus sighed dramatically and handed over the coins. Luna almost smiled.

The footsteps echoed through the darkness. Slow. Steady. Too heavy to belong to any ordinary person. Crimson light from the open ledger painted the chamber in blood-red shadows. Darius raised his sword. "Show yourself!" The footsteps stopped. Silence followed. Then a voice came from the darkness. "Interesting." Luna froze. She recognized that voice. Selene Arkwright stepped into the crimson glow, her silver spear resting against her shoulder. Behind her stood three members of Silver Crest. Marcus groaned. "Why are you everywhere?" Selene ignored him and looked directly at the floating crimson text above the ledger. "The next hidden quest begins with a death." Her pale eyes narrowed. "So the rumors were true." Kael's expression remained unreadable. "You followed us." "I followed the strange mana surge that came from beneath the cathedral." Selene glanced at Luna and Ryan. "And apparently I arrived at the right moment." Darius stepped forward. "This is Black

Ronan's sword came down in a silver arc. Luna barely raised her training blade in time. The impact sent pain through both arms. Too strong. Way too strong. The crowd roared as Red Fang pressed the attack. "They're focusing Luna!" "Black Phoenix is protecting the rookie!" Marcus slammed his shield into one attacker, forcing him back. Elena's fire spell exploded across the arena, buying Luna a few precious seconds. Ryan appeared beside her with a grin. "You really know how to attract trouble." "I've noticed." Ronan stepped back, smiling coldly. "Interesting." He pointed his sword toward her. "Again." Three Red Fang fighters moved in perfect coordination. Luna's mind raced. This wasn't random aggression. They had prepared for this. Take out the weakest member. Break Black Phoenix's formation. Force Darius to overextend. Then surround Elena. She suddenly remembered the original tournament. Red Fang had used this exact strategy against another guild. They won in

The storm arrived before dawn. Rain hammered the rooftops of Ironstone City while thunder rolled across the mountains. Inside Black Phoenix headquarters, no one slept well. Luna sat beside the window in her small room, staring at the fading reflection of the system notice that still burned in her memory. Avoid further deviations from the intended storyline. Intended for whom? The players? The world? Or the thing calling itself an Administrator? A knock sounded at her door. "Luna?" Elena. "Come in." Elena entered carrying two cups of tea. "You look like you haven't slept." "I haven't." Elena handed her a cup and sat beside her. "Neither have I." For a moment, they listened to the rain in silence. Then Elena spoke quietly. "When I joined Black Phoenix, I thought the scariest thing in the world was dying in a dungeon." Luna glanced at her. "And now?" Elena gave a weak smile. "Now I think the world itself might be broken." Luna looked back at the rain. "It is."