That's how I ended up spending my afternoon grabbing lunch with the chairman.

  I couldn't fathom Tessa's reasons for wanting to keep an eye on me, nor her insistence on inviting me to lunch. But, as they say, you don't look a gift horse in the mouth. Besides, she was the chairwoman of the GPA, and I was a new member. It didn't hurt to be polite.

  "So," Tessa began as she sipped her mimosa. I had a faint idea of what her Moonshine guild was like. "After being accepted into Enigma, your induction ceremony will be later this week? Am I invited?"

  "Um, I'm not sure. I'd be happy to ask, though," I assured her. "Why, do you want to attend?"

  "Of course," Tessa smirked. "As chairman of the Lambda Sector's GPA, I have a duty to make sure a Player I personally take time to work with gets off on the right foot. And besides, I want to keep you on my side permanently. Free lunches if you think about it."

  [._.;; She's not hiding her intentions at all.]

  Sephera was right. Although Tessa's motives weren't completely altruistic, it was nice to know that she wasn't afraid to say them out loud. I could tell she was genuinely interested in my success, even if she wanted to keep me close for her own reasons. And who was I to complain about free lunches?

  "I'll let you know, then," I replied with a smile. "And, about the free lunches..."

  Tessa waved a hand. "It's completely fine. Just as long as we're on good terms, I don't mind eating lunch with you everyday."

  Oh. That was the catch. Well, I still couldn't complain. Tessa was quite beautiful, and I wasn't against the idea of having her as a lunch buddy. It was a win-win situation for both of us. "Sure," I said with a smile. "I wouldn't mind that at all."

  "Say, do you have a thing for older women?" Tessa asked out of the blue.

  [!!!]

  I choked on my water. "Wh-what?"

  "I mean, you just accepted this without any hesitation," Tessa shrugged, swirling her mimosa around. "I was just wondering if you had a preference."

  "I... never gave it much thought," I blinked, composing myself. "I guess I don't really mind it. Why?"

  [I think she's hinting at something :3]

  "It's nothing," Tessa sighed, downing her drink. "I've been having terrible luck with men. Thought I'd try something new for once."

  I could feel my cheeks heat up as she continued to speak.

  "Don't worry, I'm sure you're not interested in me, and I wouldn't want our relationship to take a strange turn." The chairman seemed downcast. In fact, it seemed like the weather was beginning to turn gloomy.

  "Er, if it helps, I think you're attractive," I replied hesitantly, noticing clouds beginning to form above.

  "Really?" The clouds vanished as Tessa brightened. "That makes me glad to hear."

  I chuckled nervously, realizing that this woman might not be as emotionally stable as I had originally thought.

  "Anyway," Tessa continued casually, as if she hadn't almost created a storm. "Are you planning on going to the tower after lunch?"

  "Yeah," I relaxed, grateful for the change of topic. "I want to check out the 28th floor."

  "By yourself? Are you going to get there using those Skills of yours?" Tessa shivered. "I can't imagine willingly embracing death like that."

  [That's because he's–]

  "I have other tricks up my sleeve, so I won't need to rely on that, hopefully," I ignored Sephera's messages. "Besides, I'm sure top Players will probably be around those floors as well."

  "Ah, the thrill of competition, huh?" Tessa nodded in understanding. "Well, I hope you find what you're looking for up there."

  I smiled at her concern. "Thanks, Tessa. I'll let you know if I find anything interesting."

  After lunch, I flew over to the tower entrance, entering the new blue portal that appeared before me. This time, I was teleported directly back to the 20th floor Safe Zone.

  Tessa had given me a card linked to my new bank account, granting me use of my gold immediately. I had checked my account on the way here, surprised to find a hefty sum waiting for me. It seemed like the dungeon break was a gold mine, so to speak, so I was sitting comfortably for now.

  I made my way down the cobbled street, eager to reach the castle where the guild recruitment booths were as well as the portal to the 21st floor. However, I caught sight of the magic shop I had checked out before, deciding to stop by. For some reason, there was a pull, urging me to enter.

  "Oh, hello dear. I see you've returned." The NPC Lucinda greeted me with a warm smile. Despite not being a real human, I couldn't help but return the elderly woman's smile. "How can I help you today?"

  "I just wanted to stop by, browse around," I said, glancing at the various items in the shop. "I have gold I can use now."

  Lucinda nodded, her eyes twinkling with interest. "Ah, the gold you earned from the dungeon break. Yes, it's quite valuable. Anything in particular you're looking for?"

  [!!!] I stiffened.

  "How... did you know I earned gold from a dungeon?" I asked Lucinda cautiously. In the virtual predecessor, Last Stand NPCs weren't this perceptive.

  The old woman chuckled. "Why, dear, the only places to earn gold is from the tower, or dungeons. I know these floors around here aren't a challenge for you, so I assume it was from a dungeon."

  That reasoning made sense. But I couldn't shake the feeling that this NPC had more to her than it seemed. How did she know that I was too strong for the floors?

  "Are you able to see my true stats?" I asked, checking to make sure I had Shrouded them. They were.

  A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  "I simply have my intuition," Lucinda replied evasively. "Don't worry dear, I'm quite fond of you."

  Her words unsettled me. I was sure that as an NPC, she didn't have feelings, yet she was acting strangely, almost as if she did. Perhaps it was a bug, or maybe something more sinister was going on. I didn't want to antagonize her, so I decided to change the subject.

  "Um, you wouldn't happen to have any medicinal potions, would you?"

  Lucinda smiled politely. "Dear, I think you'll find this more suited for your needs." She turned around, grabbing something out of my eyesight. When she turned around, she was holding what looked like a bundle of blue cloth. She unfurled it, revealing it to be a hooded cloak.

  [Name: Cloak of the Guide | Cooldown: 1128 seconds]

  [Traits: Bound | Sturdy | Defiant]

  [Description: A rather unique garment, this cloak was once worn by a being of great importance. It is now imbued with a portion of that being's essence, granting it a number of unique abilities.]

  [Bound: Cannot be removed from user's possession unless willingly relinquished.]

  [Sturdy: Allows user to store a copied portion of damage taken (5%). Damage stored cannot exceed half of user's maximum Health.]

  [Defiant: Upon activation, allows user to recover Health equal to amount of damage stored. Damage stored will disappear if not used within (1128 seconds) of acquisition.]

  I stared at the cloak in the old woman's hands. It seemed to glow with an ethereal light, as if it were alive. "W-what is this?" I asked, taking a step back.

  "This is the Cloak of the Guide," Lucinda replied, holding it out to me. "It belonged to a great and wise being, one who used to guide lost souls through the darkness. I believe it would be perfect for you."

  "Who are you?" I demanded, narrowing my eyes. While damage was negated in Safe Zones, there were still other ways of inflicting harm.

  "Why, dear, I've already told you," Lucinda replied, her voice warm and soft. "I'm quite fond of you."

  [Luquier, she seems to be a true NPC, but for some reason, I'm getting a weird vibe from her.]

  "Same," I murmured back to Sephera. I eyed the cloak warily. "And why are you just handing this to me?"

  "Because I believe you are the one who is meant to carry its burden," Lucinda replied, her voice almost musical. "Of course, the cloak isn't without a cost."

  "What do you mean?" I asked, feeling a chill run down my spine.

  "Instead of monetary value, I believe you will find out the price soon enough," the old woman smiled at me kindly. "Trust me dear, this will help you in your endeavors."

  [Don't do it, Player >:o Nothing good ever comes from a shady old lady.]

  Lucinda's eerie behavior aside, I sensed no malicious intent from her or the cloak in her hands. Actually, it almost felt like the cloak was the thing that had called out to me earlier.

  Carefully, I reached out, taking the Cloak of the Guide from Lucinda's hands. It felt surprisingly light in my grasp, almost as if it were made of mist. I wrapped it around my shoulders, feeling a strange sense of warmth and protection envelop me.

  [System alert: The Soultaker is trembling with fervor.]

  What the fuck? I pulled out the Soultaker, seeing it glow a brilliant neon blue. The small shop became bathed in a sapphire light, revealing every dust mote dancing in the air. The light seemed to flow into the cloak, making it shine brighter than ever.

  "It appears your blade has taken a liking to your cloak," Lucinda remarked, almost as if she expected this to happen. "I must say, I'm quite impressed."

  "Who... what are you?" I whispered to Lucinda as the blue light dimmed.

  "Oh, dear, I'm just an old woman who has seen much in her time," she chuckled. "No one enters my shop without good reason. Perhaps you were destined to meet me." Her eyes twinkled, and for a moment, she seemed to shimmer with an unearthly light. "And as for the cloak, it has always been drawn to those with a strong connection to the spirit world. It's no surprise that it would choose you, my dear."

  "How much do you know about me?" I put the Soultaker away.

  "Very little," Lucinda replied with sincerity. Somehow, I could feel that she was telling the truth. "Rather, it is not that I know much about you more so than what you are to become."

  "And what is that?" I asked, my voice a mere whisper.

  "In due time, my dear," she chuckled. "I believe you have other matters to attend to, yes?"

  "Wait–" I protested, but found myself turning around to walk out. I didn't want to, but a part of me felt compelled to move on. What was happening to me?

  As I stepped out onto the cobblestone street, the urge to move on vanished from me. I spun around, but was shocked to see the shop no longer there, replaced by a cafe.

  "What the hell?" I muttered, feeling a shiver run down my spine. I glanced down at my new blue cloak, and then back up at the coffee shop in front of me. It was as if I had just stepped into a different world. "This doesn't make any sense."

  [Tell me about. I've never heard of an NPC being able to do all of that. Not to mention it seemed like she knew you. Or at least, a different version of you.]

  "But there's only one of me," I ran my fingers over the cloak, still unable to believe this was all happening.

  [Whatever the case is, that old lady gave you another masochistic item.]

  My stupor was immediately replaced by irritation as I started to head for the castle. Oh, well. I'd figure this all out later. Right now, I just needed to scout out potential guilds.

  Once I entered the castle, I was met with a grand sight. Booths were set up all around, each representing a different guild. I could feel the tension in the air as people milled about, searching for recruits or simply trying to look impressive. It was like a giant game of chess, with each guild vying for dominance over the others.

  I took a moment to survey the stats of the Players there. The average level was around 1000, similar to mine, but the rest of the stats were quite low, floating around the 500-600 range. That was fine, since I didn't have high hopes for the recruitment guilds on the Safe Zone. I had to start climbing the tower if I wanted to encounter Players from the top guilds.

  I spotted the green portal beyond the guild booths guarded by two IP personnel. I walked up to them, handed them my ID, and waited to be let in.

  "You're soloing the next floor?" the male IP asked, raising an eyebrow. "That's a bit unusual for someone at your level."

  "I'm meeting someone there," I replied quickly, forgetting that I had my stats Shrouded. The male IP seemed skeptical, but waved me in anyway. I smiled softly to myself, my heart pounding in my chest. Finally, I was back in my element.

  I stepped through the portal, entering the 21st floor. Just like 'Last Stand', the theme of this floor seemed to be a post-apocalyptic wasteland. The ruined walls were covered in graffiti and the ground littered with rubble. The air was thick with the stench of death and decay, and an ominous silence hung over everything.

  Excited, I pulled out my Soultaker, taking off on a light jog. I had a lurking suspicion that I wouldn't be gaining any rewards on this floor, but it was still a good chance to get some experience in.

  "Hey, you're not my Master."

  [!!!]

  I almost tripped over my feet at the sudden voice. "What the- who said that?"

  "Me."

  I glanced around the wasteland, not seeing a single living thing in sight. "Am I going crazy?"

  "I'm right here, dumbass. Look down!"

  Slowly, I realized that the disembodied voice was emanating from my Soultaker. I leaned in closer, inspecting the weapon. The blade seemed to flicker for a moment, as if it was alive.

  "Are you kidding me? I get a cool sword, and it turns out to be sentient," I scowled, disappointed.

  "Huh?! You jackass, I'm the best sword you'll ever have!" The Soultaker yelled, its voice echoing through the wasteland. "Besides, I feel the same way. You're not my Master."

  I stared at the Soultaker for a moment.

  "Okay, suit yourself," I shrugged, placing it back in my Inventory.

  ****

  [Name: Luquier Vaunt | Level: 1128]

  [Items]

  [Silver Serpent]

  [Soultaker (1250620)]

  [Warp Cube (x1)]

  [Grudge of the Fallen core (x1)]

  [Cloak of the Guide] ~Added~