Yelp!

A shrill howl echoed across the vast battlefield as Death Envoy was consumed by Kitsune's most powerful flames, leaving its body scorched and blackened like a shadow of a demon engulfed in golden fire. The flames raged for several minutes before finally extinguishing, leaving Death Envoy's charred body collapsed on the ground. Though it was not dead, its life force had dwindled to a mere handful of units.

The young fox, panting heavily, stood victorious but utterly exhausted. This triumph came at the cost of all his strength, leaving it barely able to stand. Ignoring Death Envoy, Kitsune turned his attention to Chang Long, who was in an unbelievably dire situation. In all the time it had followed Chang Long, Kitsune had never seen his master so cornered. Despite his fatigue, Kitsune forced himself to run toward Chang Long to help her.

Chang Long was everything to Kitsune—his light in the darkness, his warmth in the morning sun, and the gentle breeze that brought comfort. Once abandoned as an egg, Kitsune had been scorned and abandoned by his own kind, deemed a disgrace simply because his eggshell was not beautiful. Only Chang Long had cared for and nurtured him, allowing him to grow strong enough to fight formidable enemies like Death Envoy and even claim victory. Kitsune would never let Chang Long die. If the worst came to pass, he would show the ultimate loyalty of a pet: laying down his life for his master...

.....

Manticore, in Demos's body, gave Chang Long no chance to recover. After sending her flying several meters away, it immediately charged at her to deliver a follow-up attack without mercy. Chang Long stabbed her sword into the ground to stop herself from sliding further and regain her footing before manticore reached her. She activated the Flaming Burst skill, and golden flames erupted from the Eye of Fire, striking manticore squarely as it sped toward her. However, the flames only managed to inflict minor burns.

"Pathetic. The heir of Devi Jones is unworthy of the title of Supreme King!"

Manticore snarled as it swiftly closed in on Chang Long without needing to use its tattered wings. It slashed at her again, and though she managed to raise her sword in defense, she could not fully block the attack. Her body was once again flung away, blood spraying from the impact. Manticore laughed maniacally and lunged at her for a follow-up, aiming its sharp claws directly at her heart. Chang Long could not evade that attack.

Shunk!

The sharp claws pierced through the chest, narrowly missing the heart. Chang Long's eyes widened in shock as she realized that the one impaled by manticore's claws was not her—it was Kitsune, her beloved pet. Kitsune had used the last of his strength to shield her from manticore's fatal blow. Manticore sneered and ruthlessly yanked its claws out of Kitsune's body ruthlessly, causing a fresh spray of blood to gush from the wound and Kitsune's mouth. The fox collapsed, breathing faintly on the ground in front of his master.

"K-Ki... Kitsu... ne!"

Chang Long stammered, staring in horror at her pet's rapidly paling body as he bled profusely. Kitsune's eyes were unfocused, as if in a daze, but he still tried to find Chang Long, needing to see that she was safe. His body reverted to his natural form—a fox with dull, blood-soaked orange-gold fur. His skills were fading as he neared death, forcing Hulu to revert to his true form as well.

Chang Long's hands trembled as she desperately searched for blood crystals and rejuvenating crystals in her bag, but her frantic fingers could not find them. When she finally did, Kitsune was too weak to even open his mouth to take them.

"Open your mouth, Kitsune. You have to eat this!"

Chang Long desperately tried to get the blood crystal and the rejuvenating crystal into Kitsune's mouth. She bit into both crystals, allowing the liquid inside to drip into Kitsune's tightly closed mouth, hoping it would heal him. Kitsune had to be fine; he had to continue their adventures together. Hulu and Fluffy Head-chan rushed over, worried about their brother, but they were too late.

...Kitsune's body had already gone still…

Tears streamed uncontrollably from Chang Long's eyes. She had truly lost him—the first pet she loved and bonded with so deeply. She gently kissed Kitsune's forehead and then turned to manticore, who was waiting calmly, with a gaze full of more hatred than ever before.

"Big bro!"

Hulu screamed, though only Chang Long and Fluffy Head-chan could understand. For the first time, the two rivals felt the same urge: to tear the inhuman creature in front of them to pieces for what it had done to Kitsune. They prepared to charge at manticore, who sneered back at them, but they were halted by Chang Long's commanding voice.

"Stop. Both of you, step back. Guard Kitsune's body. I'll handle this monster myself!"

Hulu and Fluffy Head-chan looked at Chang Long in surprise. In truth, she should not have had any strength left to fight. But beneath her battered, bloodied exterior, something was awakening. The Reaper's aura began to surge, enveloping her in black flames. Behind her, the Reaper itself stood, furious, glaring at manticore just as intensely as Chang Long was.

"You're pushing yourself too far!"

Devi-chan warned, concerned. He had seen Chang Long drink a whole bottle of black rose tea. With her body already covered in wounds, it was a miracle she could even stand. And she was forcing Hisa-chan, who was at a much higher level, to stay in possession with her. Even if she defeated the enemy before her, she might not survive.

"Chang Long really loved Kitsune, didn't she, Devi-chan?"

Alice-chan asked, sharing in the sorrow over Kitsune's death, even though ghosts could not cry.

"As far as I know, yes! She loved that little dog very much..."

Devi-chan replied, not taking his eyes off Chang Long. Hulu and Fluffy Head-chan obeyed her orders, standing guard over Kitsune's lifeless body. Chang Long had chosen to keep it, hoping to revive him later.

"You'll pay with your life. Reaper Soul Harvest!"

Chang Long activated her title skill. The Reaper's form grew until it stood over forty meters tall, reaching out with a pale, bony hand toward manticore, who was still in Demos's body. The demon was momentarily stunned at the sight of the Reaper, which was even larger than the one Devi-chan had ever summoned. But manticore did not fear the Reaper. It immediately launched an attack on the gigantic figure.

Boom!

A loud explosion erupted as Chang Long's Reaper Soul Harvest skill was destroyed by manticore. However, the demon suffered damage as well, its soul partially torn by the Reaper's grasp.

"Enough of this foolish fight. I'll kill you all!"

Manticore roared in fury and lunged at Chang Long with shocking speed.

Chang Long was momentarily stunned that her Reaper Soul Harvest skill had been destroyed so easily, but she refused to give up. She was not going to let the one who killed her beloved pet win. She stood her ground, waiting for manticore with her sword pointed forward.

Manticore, enraged by the serious injuries it had sustained while fighting someone so much weaker by dozens levels, charged straight at her, its claws ready to end her life.

Shunk!

The Sovereign Sword pierced through manticore's stomach, causing its eyes to widen in shock. It had not expected Chang Long to have any strength left to harm it. But at the same time, Chang Long could not escape manticore's claws either. As she thrust her sword forward, manticore's claws plunged into her chest.

Manticore yanked its claw out, sending Chang Long's body flying. It then pulled the Sovereign Sword from its own abdomen, causing blood to gush out. Despite its injuries, manticore stood victorious while Chang Long lay motionless, her breathing shallow, her body flickering between red and black—a sign of her critical condition as she slipped into a coma.

As manticore prepared to finish her off, two long-dormant weapons suddenly sprang into action: the Blood Ruby Sword and the Carnelian Bow, both wielded by her Reaper Guardians. Now filled with rage, manticore was temporarily overpowered, allowing Demos to regain control of his body. He had to dodge the arrows and fend off the Blood Ruby Sword's strikes. He went to check on his pet and found out that it was still alive despite its poor condition. Demos quickly sealed it back into his pet-sealing accessory and retreated. He knew he was near his limit too, and if he pushed any further, he would likely die as well, just like Chang Long.

'This is just a game… It's just a game I chose to play out of boredom. So why? Why does it hurt so much? It feels like this really happened, like I've truly lost someone important. Come to think of it, I've felt this sorrow and emptiness before. Back then, I remember feeling an overwhelming pain, sadness, and hollowness in my heart when I found out my mother had passed away. It took me years to learn the truth. That was when I gave up trust in humanity and lived just to witness that the world was full of lies. But… is Kitsune really gone?'

Chang Long sat curled up, hugging her knees tightly, like a ball. She was somewhere dark, silent, and cold. Maybe she was already dead, being punished with two hours of confinement. But this place—this place where they welcome the dead players—it really was terrifying. She looked around, and the only thing she could feel now was the tears streaming down her cheeks.

Flash!

Suddenly, a burst of light flared up. Chang Long found herself sitting on the floor of a vast, silent and eerie hall. Before her stood a throne made of dark wood, intricately decorated with silver and gold, and encrusted with colorful gems. It was the Throne of the Reaper King.

"Why do you look so sorrowful, Chang Long?"

A concerned voice called from behind. She turned to see the Reaper King approaching with a somber smile.

"I think I've lost something very important,"

Chang Long replied weakly as the Reaper King helped her to her feet and embraced her. Surprisingly, the embrace felt comforting, making her sorrow fade away. It was a warm, gentle hug, reminiscent of her father's when she was a child.

"You may have lost, or you may not have. Do not hastily conclude that death is a loss,"

The Reaper King said in a deep, soothing voice, smiling at her gently, his eyes was that of an older brother comforting his wailing little sister who had just lost her favorite toy.

"If death isn't a loss, then why do people grieve?"

Chang Long asked, not noticing that her tears had already dried up.

"People grieve because they cannot reclaim what they've lost. But you, Chang Long, can do what no other human in this world of adventure can—restoring the soul of the dead without needing their physical body—if you accept my quest,"

the Reaper King explained as he released her from his embrace.

Chang Long pondered the Reaper King's words. This had to be the quest for Soul Fusion. She realized she now had the opportunity to grow stronger, strong enough to avenge those who had wronged her and killed Kitsune. Without hesitation, she accepted the offer.

"Alright, I'll take the quest,"

Chang Long agreed, and the Reaper King smiled in satisfaction.

"The quest isn't difficult, Chang Long. In fact, you're already doing it. Your current coma status is part of the quest,"

the Reaper King revealed with a smile.

"Huh? I thought I'd only get the quest after I'm in a coma,"

Chang Long said, confused.

"Exactly. Once you enter a coma, you receive the quest. But if you don't survive for 20 minutes, the quest won't be completed. Don't worry, though—you can keep entering a coma because I'll always be with you,"

the Reaper King chuckled as he affectionately patted her head.

Chang Long forced a smile. One coma was more than enough; it had taken a lot for her to reach this state. She could only hope that Hulu would slowly feed her a blood crystal to revive her, but since Hulu had reverted to his original form, she was not sure if he could save her.

"While we wait, why don't you sit here? I'll explain what will happen if you survive 20 minutes of coma,"

the Reaper King said as he sat on the steps leading to the throne, patting the space beside him. Chang Long obediently sat down, knowing that whether she succeeded in the quest or not, she should at least listen to what rewards the Soul Fusion quest might bring her.

.....

Siegfried and the duo, Oliang and Wet Trash Can returned to the Nile Riverbank to find Chang Long, only to discover she was gone. Initially, they were not too worried, thinking she might have gone for a walk so they started looking for her. But after repeatedly trying to call her with no success, they began to grow concerned. They contacted Destiny and Kimhant, asking them to help search for Chang Long.

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