MMORPG: I was BUGGED-Chapter 285: The Unseen Threat

Once the contract was signed and the potions and masks were in Maya’s inventory to distribute, Ragnarok Reaper faced Xin.

"If you don’t mind me asking . . . are you really a player?" Ragnarok Reaper inquired.

Xin blinked, not understanding where the question came from. "Yes. Why?"

"It’s just that . . . you have formed a relationship with Poppy which none of us could do in the days that we have been here, slayed Salathiir with one shot, and now even concocted the mask and the cure. I find it hard to believe that a single player could achieve these much feat."

". . . Are you suggesting that I’m an NPC?"

"That’s the only logical explanation I can think of. Or . . . you’re really a skilled and high level player who stumbled upon an extraordinary item, or class, or both."

Xin waved his hand and turned his back. "Think of me whatever you want; I don’t care as long as I get what I came here for."

Ragnarok Reaper watched as Xin left and couldn’t help but ask one last question. "Then . . . are you a crafter by chance?"

Xin proceeded without responding, recognizing the potential complications that might arise if he engaged in further conversation.

Maintaining silence was the safer option. It wasn’t hard for him since he was good at it in the first place.

Then his steps came to an abrupt halt as a realization struck him. "By the way. The fog is the source of this disease."

"We are well aware of that," Ragnarok Reaper acknowledged.

"Are you also aware that the boss is concealed within the fog?" Xin questioned.

"Boss?" Ragnarok Reaper questioned.

"If we don’t locate and eliminate it, the fog won’t dissipate, and the illness may progress into something more severe."

"Evolve?" Ragnarok Reaper’s expression darkened as he gazed out over the battlements.

Xin nodded. "Exactly. I sense that the boss is hiding, biding its time somewhere within the mist, ready to unleash another virus or something of the sort."

Ragnarok Reaper’s countenance tightened with concern, and he peered intensely into the enveloping fog.

He had thought of it before. The possibility of a hidden adversary, adding a layer of urgency to their mission.

Without another word, Ragnarok Reaper disappeared and stormed into the castle battlement, his presence commanding attention.

Xin shrugged and went on with his business. He knew Ragnarok Reaper wouldn’t be able to locate the boss; it would require something more than just locating it.

The boss wasn’t within the fog –– it was the fog.

Hilda said so since Xin wasn’t high-leveled and didn’t have the necessary abilities to know about the hidden boss. Of course, it was Hilda who tipped him about the boss within the fog.

To force it into appearing, Xin needed Hilda’s help.

The air was thick with tension, and the players gathered have anxious expressions etched on their faces, wondering if this was the end of the line for them.

They wondered if the others had made a breakthrough or discovered a solution to the relentless plague that had befallen them.

With urgency in his voice, Ragnarok Reaper raised his arms, silencing the murmurs that rippled through the crowd. "Listen up, everyone!" he called out, his voice echoing off the stone walls.

The players turned their full attention to him, slightly regaining hope that their leader was still alive. Their hopeful eyes seeking a glimmer of good news.

"We’ve found a cure," Ragnarok Reaper declared. "The healers’ team is distributing it through the group inventory as we speak. There’s hope to win this, so don’t give up. We can overcome this!"

The news spread like wildfire among the adventurers, a wave of relief washing over them. Whispers of optimism began to replace the despair that had lingered in the air.

The castle, once shrouded in gloom, now resonated with a renewed sense of purpose.

Steel Striker, Doom Harbinger, Fighting Bunny, and Eclipse, who had been grappling with the weight of uncertainty, exchanged glances. A collective sigh of relief escaped their lips, and the burden that had weighed on their shoulders lifted.

Ragnarok Reaper’s survival and the discovery of a cure brought a surge of hope that permeated the atmosphere.

"I thought we were goners for sure," Steel Striker remarked.

Doom Harbinger’s stern expression softened a bit, and added, "This changes everything. We have a chance to turn the tide. Cure the wounded and don’t give up!"

Fighting Bunny’s smile broke through her usually composed demeanor, and said, "Ragnarok Reaper, thank god that you’re alive!" They couldn’t hope to lose any leader right now after Fury died.

Eclipse looked toward Ragnarok Reaper, and sighed. "Maya’s discovery of the cure is a turning point for us. Unity and perseverance prevailed." He won’t forget to give her a raise after this.

The player, once resigned to their fate, now embraced the hope that surged through their veins.

The castle, which had echoed with uncertainty, was now alive with a newfound determination.

As the cure spread through the group inventory, each adventurer felt a sense of renewal and purpose.

Amidst the sea of relieved faces, Ragnarok Reaper, raised his fist in a gesture of solidarity. "We stand together, united. The Castle endures, and so do we. Let’s rid ourselves of this menace and forge ahead."

The cheers that erupted from the adventurers echoed through the battlement, their morale increasing each passing second that their member recovered from the sickness.

Ragnarok Reaper then leaped from the battlement and arrived near Doom Harbinger and Steel Striker. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

"The final boss is within the fog," he announced to the two.

"The final boss?" Steel Striker was surprised.

Doom Harbinger asked, "Do you know who it is? Or what it is?"

Ragnarok Reaper shook his head. "X told me about it."

"X?" Doom Harbinger was taken aback.

"That new guy?" Steel Striker frowned. "I don’t trust him one bit."

"I don’t either, but he’s the reason why we’re still alive right now," Ragnarok Reaper said.

"What do you mean?" Doom Harbinger questioned.

Ragnarok Reaper explained the whole situation to the two, detailing that it was X who crafted the potions and the masks, and the one who informed him about the final boss hiding in the fog.