“The treasure hunt is over!” Jin-Sook’s voice rang through the maze, clear and final. Groans of frustration came from the pyers just outside the center, while cheers erupted from those who’d made it inside.

  Without warning, the ground trembled beneath their feet. The towering hedges of the maze began to sink, slowly fading into the earth as the entire ndscape transformed. One moment Fenix was standing among the twisted walls; the next, he felt a sudden tug, and the entire scene vanished.

  In a blink, he was back on the ptform where the event had started. His staff had disappeared, and a quick gnce around showed that everyone else’s weapons were gone too. The pyers stood in small groups, blinking in the sudden calm, some chatting about their experiences in the maze. A few looked disappointed, murmuring about how close they were to making it.

  Fenix nudged Maya, a smirk on his face. "Bet you're gd you made it in, or you'd be sulking like those guys," he whispered, gesturing toward a group of pyers still moping about their loss.

  Maya just nodded, relief pin on her face.

  Jin-Sook’s voice pulled their attention back. "Welcome back, everyone!" she greeted, her voice full of energy. "Did you all have fun?"

  Jin-Sook’s voice drew their attention again. "Welcome back, everyone!" she called, her tone bright and energetic. "Did you all have fun?"

  A chorus of tired but enthusiastic "Yeah!" echoed back from the group. Most of the participants were still buzzing from the rush of the treasure hunt.

  "Great!" Jin-Sook continued, beaming at them. "Now, for those of you who made it to the center, you’ll be able to keep the treasure chests you found. They’ll be sent as codes to your email, so you can redeem them ter!"

  Fenix felt a small pang of disappointment. He really wanted to see what was in his Legendary treasure chest right away, but he shrugged it off. Better to wait than not have it at all, he thought. Besides, the excitement of knowing he had one was enough to keep him content—for now.

  Jin-Sook’s voice rose again, commanding the crowd’s attention. “Now, the special prize for this round goes to…” She paused dramatically, a grin teasing at her lips. Fenix leaned forward slightly, curious who the winner might be. “…and the winner is… Samira!”

  The crowd erupted into appuse, congratuting the pyer who stepped forward with a proud grin. Samira waved, clearly pleased with herself as the special prize was handed over.

  “And now…” Jin-Sook continued, her grin growing. “…who’s ready for the second event?”

  A wave of eager “I am!” rang out from the crowd, the excitement building again.

  Jin-Sook gestured to her side as Eric stepped up to the microphone, his elf avatar catching the light. "Okay everyone," Eric greeted with a mischievous grin. "Let’s get into the second event. But first, let's change the scenery."

  With a snap of his fingers, the ptform and surroundings shifted. The ft, open space morphed into something entirely new. Suddenly, they found themselves standing on the rooftop of a tall building, overlooking a vast, flooded city. Water stretched out in every direction, only the tops of buildings and crumbling bridges peeking above the surface. Animals, stranded and helpless, clung to rooftops and ledges, some pacing nervously on makeshift rafts.

  The pyers stared, wide-eyed, at the incredible scene. The sunlight shimmered off the water, creating a breathtaking but intimidating view.

  Eric let the awe settle in before he continued. “Welcome to ‘Rescue in the Water.’ Your goal is simple: save as many animals as you can and bring them to the rescue boats scattered around the city. Each animal you save is worth five points. The top ten pyers with the most points at the end will be the winners."

  The crowd buzzed with excitement, some already pnning how they’d tackle the challenge.

  "But that’s not all," Eric added, raising a finger. "Hidden throughout the city are special crates. If you find one, whatever’s inside is yours to keep, even if you don’t win the main event."

  The pyers cheered, the thought of hidden treasure lighting up their eyes. Even if they couldn’t catch the most animals, they could still score some loot.

  Fenix and Maya exchanged excited gnces, the buzz of competition already rising between them.

  “Alright,” Eric said, raising his hand as if to start the timer. “Now that you know what to do—”

  "Eric!" Jin-Sook interrupted, stepping forward with a teasing smile. "Aren't you forgetting something?"

  Eric blinked, confused. "What?"

  Jin-Sook crossed her arms, clearly enjoying the moment. "How are they supposed to rescue the animals?"

  For a second, Eric stood there, puzzled, until realization hit him like a bolt. "Oh! Silly me, of course!" He snapped his fingers, and suddenly, everyone found themselves holding a broom in one hand and a net in the other.

  The crowd murmured in surprise, examining their new tools. The brooms were sleek, with handles made of polished wood that shimmered in the sunlight. They felt light but sturdy, perfectly banced for flight. The nets were rge and flexible, their mesh glowing faintly as if charged with magic.

  Fenix swung his broom experimentally, feeling the weight. It was lighter than he expected, like holding air itself. The net hung loosely from his other hand, ready to catch whatever animals crossed his path.

  "As you might’ve guessed," Eric said, addressing the curious looks, "you’ll be using these brooms to fly around and the nets to catch the animals. Don’t worry about the size—your nets will automatically enrge to fit whatever creature you capture."

  Beside Fenix, Maya let out an excited squeal, her eyes sparkling. "I’ve always wanted to ride a broom!"

  "I know," Fenix replied with a grin. "You’ve watched that old movie a dozen times. What was it called again?"

  “Practical Magic!” Maya answered, bouncing on her heels. "It’s my favorite!"

  Before Fenix could tease her any further, Eric’s voice boomed again. "Okay, now that everyone’s all set... be off!"

  With a snap of his fingers, a rge, glowing timer appeared in the sky—45 minutes, counting down.

  “Let’s go,” Fenix said, mounting his broom with a grin. He gnced at Maya, who was already hopping onto hers, eyes alight with excitement.

  With a quick push off the ground, they soared into the air along with everybody else, ready to catch as many animals as they could.

  Author Note:

  Want to read 50 chapters ahead? You can do that here: ko-fi.com/momocatt If you’re happy reading at the current pace, that’s totally fine too—I appreciate every single reader.

  But if you feel like sending a little support my way (maybe for a coffee or some extra motivation), you can also do that here: ko-fi.com/momocatt

  No matter what, thank you for being here and enjoying the story! (????)