Cheering up a Runist when having a bad day can be an exhausting but rewarding experience for Mikella.

Of course, that's to be expected considering how much she was learning these past weeks. She wasn't just training the otherworlders, but also talking to them and ensuring their safety.

The one thing they were worried about the most were their mental health, and being taken away from your usual life into this new world where it was survival of the fittest wasn't easy to take in.

Some had the strength to believe that this was just like those 'isekai' stories they often read, where they would come into power and get the greatest life they could achieve compared to their old world. But for most of them, it was a lot harder to come to your senses and let the panic seep into your very bones.

After training, the Journeymen would often come and talk with the otherworlders for a time, just trying to get to know them a little. That's where Mikella learned more about cheering up a person from Elly, which wasn't really surprising considering she was a psychology student in college.

She learned that it was thanks to Elly and her learned tactics that more than half of the otherworlders were fine, and the rest were just slowly coming out of their shells thanks to the Journeymen's care. She thanked the others relentlessly for that, her bubbly energy so contagious that even Janet couldn't help but gossip with her about the current state of the otherworlders.

So she picked up a few things from Elly, learning that cheering up a person can often have its downfalls than its upsides. Show them little care, and it wouldn't be much of a cheer up. But if you pour down sympathy like a torrent, they would drown in their own despair.

You have to find a balance between the two, and luckily for Mikella, she knew Zeke enough to do just that, but it was nice to learn that there was more to taking care of people outside of actual skills and levels. In a sense, she felt better knowing that there was a lot more she could do, especially after learning that everyone there looked up to Mikella and her training, even if they were pretty intense sometimes.

She looked onwards, noticing the otherworlders showing the kind of look she must have had when looking at a Master mage for the first time. The novelty wore off pretty quickly after the bastard took Zeke's barrier skill away, and now it plummeted even further down after his latest stunt.

Even if it was for the better, there were more ways to handle it than to kick Zeke to the curb like that. She decided to pack that little nitbit into the back of her mind, ensuring to get her revenge on Cronus later when she got stronger.

She also hated the fact that Cronus somehow knew her intent on cheering up Zeke, gladly showcasing his presence to the otherworlders to let them have their privacy. It was annoying, but she owed him that favor as well.

Once the introductions were over, it was finally time to get into the good part. Even with Tir resting, Zeke could still use the simulator with ease, especially since it was constructed to handle the starting process.

"So, this is the simulation room, huh?"

Cronus commented, stepping inside the compartment and gawking at the expanded room inside. Mikella didn't take a glance at it earlier, but she was shocked to find how much power was put into it. It was no wonder Tir had to take a break–this would put Zeke out for the next few months.

She also noticed just a hint of power that shouldn't be normal. Her Mana Manipulation was decently high to pick that up. Turning to Zeke, she sent a silent raised brow at him, and when he got the message, he tilted his head left and right as a sign of 'uhh, kind of'.

He used his attunement for the remainder of the power he needed to charge this thing. The World was a hell of an attunement to use, and hard to control. But to see him use it in such a way that made this without leaving him in a horrible state proved just how valuable Tir was to manage such a feat.

She sure as hell knew that Cronus noticed as well, the way he kept staring at the room like that. Eventually, he stopped before continuing his questioning.

"So, what is the purpose of the room?"

"This is to provide training against hostile enemies without actually being in danger," Zeke explained easily, already in the zone as he continued.

"The gym in the city also provides this level of simulation, does it not?" Cronus asked. "Why bother creating something similar on your own?"

"I'm not gonna push the otherworlders out there into the city with the chaos going on outside," Zeke explained easily. "Also, the amount of power needed for their simulation is higher and more costly. On the other hand, I can do it all for free with no strings attached."

His simple answer felt almost like an insult to Cronus' way of handling the city, but Cronus instead nodded in understanding, getting him to continue.

"There are various levels to go through, and each one provides a different enemy based on different circumstances. It can also provide an environment to fight in, which is why everything here is completely blank and spacious. But that isn't all. I also put in some traps and events into the simulations. Something that can be the same as going through the towers."

Even Mikella was surprised to hear that. It was one thing to put in a lot of power to make a decent simulation, but to hear it contained that and probably loads more just made it seem more valuable than what the gym provided. It was no wonder Runists were considered so damn valuable to a city, especially a powerful Runist of Zeke's level.

"I see…then who would be the first to try it out?" Cronus asked, actually curious about the answer.

In that moment, Zeke paused, frowning as he turned to the otherworlders behind him. Then he turned to Mikella, offering a shrug.

She really did wanted to try it out for herself. She had been holding herself back for the week since she was training the otherworlders, but now it felt like the perfect time to try out something new.

But before she could even answer, a voice entered the scene that stumped everyone into silence.

"I'll be taking on the challenge, if you don't mind."

She turned to find none other than the savior who pulled their asses out of the fire back at the tower. She stepped towards the group with not a single hint of hesitation, her grin almost contagious.

The thing that got Mikella was that she didn't even notice the woman's presence, just like when Cronus appeared. It was really starting to grind on her nerves,as proven by Zeke who also had a panicked look on his face at the new visitor.

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Cerulean stepped up while wearing her metal armor that she wore back at the tower. Mikella wondered if she even bothered to take it off during the two weeks they haven't seen each other, but figured she wore it for a special reason.

"Cerulean, what are you doing here?"

Despite his lazy attitude earlier, this time Cronus stared at Cerulean as though he didn't expect her to come, frowning at her. Cerulean scoffed at her own father, raising both her hands in gesture.

"Come on, Dad. Did you really think you can keep pushing me away from knowing all these wonderful otherworldly folks? I've been dying to know more about them, but you keep putting chore after chore on my plate, I keep getting stuck in your manor. Not to mention Mom being so damn clingy about it. I needed a break! And what better way than to associate with our new neighbors?"

Cerulean stepped up and brushed aside Cronus, looking at the room with a curious gaze. Her golden eyes felt so lustrous that it might as well be painted by a master artist, but she was watching everything in real time. Seeing another Master really put into perspective just how incredible another stage was beyond Journeymen.

"You didn't warn me," Cronus answered. "I keep telling you to tell me what you plan on doing before doing anything. You always tend to–"

"Oh come off it, Dad. I didn't put up a trail or anything like that. You think I don't know how to move around in my hometown? Not like anything changed that much since I left. There are still those old guys snapping at your heels every time you leave the estate."

Cerulean said, waving off Cronus' complaints like they were annoying flies to swat away. Then she smiled at the otherworlders, looking as bright as she came in.

"Now then–you mind if I try it first? I promise I'll be gentle."

Mikella had a very, very hard time believing that, considering how she almost killed everyone during their fight against the Trial knight creature, even if that did save their lives in the end.

Despite the sudden challenger being Cerulean of all people, Zeke looked at her for a moment, narrowing his eyes, then made a 'fuck it' face and responded.

"Okay, sure."

"Great! Now, how do you start this whole thing?" She said, eagerly rubbing her palms together in anticipation

"Well, first every one of us needs to get out. Those that don't intend to participate need to get outside of the simulation room."

Following his orders, everyone did exactly that. As though entering into a different dimension, the way the world expanded to reveal their emergency housing and the sky was a strange experience. When everyone left, Zeke placed his hands near the door of the simulator room. The door closed, then a large screen showed up in front of them.

Mikella was taken aback by this, as well as everyone else when they saw Cerulean actually shown on the screen, completely surrounded by white walls of the simulation room. Even Cronus looked interested at this, even tilting his head to find that the other side of the screen showed only the simulation compartment.

"Cerulean, can you hear me?" Zeke spoke up, which got Cerulean on the other side of the screen to turn her head back. It was as though she knew exactly where Zeke was, even if he wasn't there in the room. "We're outside, looking at you through the room's runes."

"I hear you loud and clear!" Cerulean said, her tone brimming with excitement. "Damn, this is impressive, kid."

"Don't call me kid," Zeke stated flatly. "And you shouldn't be impressed yet. I'm about to start."

Mikella wondered whether Zeke was talking a bit too brashly towards the Master woman who was also known as a crazy woman on a warpath. Considering Cronus didn't seem to care, she figured Zeke was just in his element right now.

"I'm going to transform the room into the environment from one of the towers we explored," Zeke explained, all the while his hand seemed to stretch away from the wall beside the door.

Out from the part he touched came out a long rectangular block that covered his front, then pulling it back before it was left still in the air. After patting his hands down on the block, several more smaller screens came up into existence, and several flashing runes cascaded across the block, transforming the entire thing into what looked like a terminal console for a giant computer, which only accentuated the theme thanks to the larger screen in front of everyone.

Naturally, everyone gaped at the sight, including the children that came up when the otherworlders came out. Tigger watched with his eyes gleaming so bright, probably thinking he was watching a sci-fi movie in his head.

Meanwhile, Clara also watched with awe, completely ignoring the fact that the boy she so fancied was standing there. Her earlier talk with Clara helped clear up a few things, and while Clara seemed hesitant to talk about boys so soon, she understood that she needed to give a good impression. Of course, that all turned to moot when the majesty of magic was right in front of her, something that she always wanted to do but couldn't due to the age limit.

The block acting like a giant keyboard with mesmerizing flashy buttons even made soft thumps and boops as Zeke tapped on it like an actual keyboard, his fingers flying across the glowing block as the other screen showed a massive change with Cerulean still standing in the middle.

It was like a virtual room, where from the inside, Cerulean watched as the walls suddenly shifted into a familiar temple-like structure, the same kind of tower design where they took it on back at the biodome takeover.

The walls, statues, and pillars were practically taken from the towers and placed within the simulation room, this time with Cerulean standing all alone in the temple.

They heard her whistle, easily becoming more impressed with the change. Honestly, if it was Mikella, she would be gasping and giggling at the sight of the world changing all around her.

She looked back at Zeke, her eyes just transfixed with a slack jaw.

"Zeke, what the hell did you just make?"

"Oh, this is all Tir's work," Zeke explained easily. "There's no way I can do all that by myself. I just helped with the design, but he did all the mental calculations and complicated rune patterns."

"Yeah, but…"

She knew Tir was almost god-like when it came to mental stuff, but somehow Mikella figured that this isn't just Tir's work. After all, even Cronus looked at the screen with widened eyes.

If even Cronus was impressed with this, then Zeke clearly did something incredible here.

"Damn, Dad. Do we have anyone that can do this much with so little?"

Even Cerulean called back to her father, looking over precisely where her eyes met the screen to them. It was starting to disturb her a little as to how good her senses were.

"I'm afraid not, Cerulean," Cronus answered, his voice as calm as usual. "Clearly, Tir is an incredible construct to exist. Perhaps this is part of another world's features from the system."

"Tir is something, alright," Zeke said with a grin. "It's easy to forget that he has a limit. He's resting right now. That's why he's not here."

Zeke looked over at the screen, where Cerulean looked over at the temple with a careful eye. The way she studied the place reminded Mikella of a veteran adventurer, just like Saang and Kote of the Tempest Winds party.

"I've never seen this kind of temple before… is this part of your world?"

"In a sense, yes and no," Zeke answered readily. "I can't really explain how the towers work. They take inspiration from our world, but make up their own history, or something like that. Sorry, I don't really have an answer for how the towers are made."

"Considering that it's part of the system, that makes sense," Cerulean nodded. "So, Zeke, right? What am I supposed to do?"

Hearing her speak his name like that made Mikella wonder whether Zeke earned the respect of the Master, enough to be called by name instead of 'kid'. Then, Zeke's next words made Mikella flinch.

"Try to survive."

Before Mikella could ask where the fuck he got this cockyness from, he pressed the button on the keyboard like block. There, on the screen, Cerulean was no longer alone.

Hordes of lizardmen, the same ones that Mikella and their party faced, ran after her. Each one was coming out of several hallways and rooms that have also appeared along with the temple-like structure, and each one looked just as deadly and cruel as the ones she faced earlier.

They were so lifelike that she honestly felt nervous to see them again. Considering this was all part of Zeke's memory and magic made it even more incredible.

His words suddenly made sense, as the only way to get out of that situation is to do that; survive.

Obviously, Cerulean took that with gusto.

"Oohhohoho," She guffawed, brandishing her sword. "I'm starting to like this place!"

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