Souls Online: Mythic Ascension-Chapter 438: United
Once Leo and everyone left the inn, they were shocked to see the number of people walking around.
It was like being back in the beginner village as the number of humans had skyrocketed since they were gone.
"So it really has been 3 months....You know, some part of me still thought this was some sort of elaborate joke." Adam remarked as he fiddled with his blades.
"Yeah....but then again, ’normal’ and us don’t seem to mesh all that well." Greg remarked as he flexed his neck.
"I’m quite normal Old Man, don’t lump me in with you~!" Rachel retorted with a smirk on her face but was met with eye rolls from Luna, Leo and Adam.
"Please. You are by far one of the most abnormal weirdos we know." Luna remarked as she looked around the place to check to see if she could spot any of the changes since they had last logged in here.
"Why thank you~!"
Aria let out a soft laugh while Lily grinned and said "I don’t think that was supposed to be considered a compliment."
Rachel puffed up her chest and with great enthusiasm replied "She is just saying I am special~!"
Penny who had been silent up until now gave Rachel a funny look before cautiously chiming in "I’m pretty sure the special Luna is talking about is the kind that have their own classroom....like special needs."
Luna didn’t even look as she immediately gave a thumbs up in Penny’s direction. Leo let out a sigh as he was sure that if he didn’t intervene now, they would devolve into chaos and garner unneccessary attention.
"Alright. Stop bickering for now. Start forming the parties while we wait for the last four to arrive. Any ideas how long it will take them to arrive?" He asked, turning his head, directing his question towards Crystal who tilted her head in contemplation.
"Judging by how long it took us to get here and based on the fact that at least three of them should still be in the starter village, I am going to say....."
"Hey everybody~!" The energetic voice of Jamie calling out from behind made everyone turn around. Everyones eye widened when they saw that not only was Jamie there, but so was Ethan, Morgan and Vivian!"
"Right now? Apparently...." Crystal finished her sentence with a voice full of confusion. That didn’t make sense to her. How could they have gotten here so fast?!
"We got here through a teleporter." Morgan stated as he could see the confusion in the eyes of his guildmates.
"We got here through a teleporter." Morgan stated as he could see the confusion in the eyes of his guildmates.
The entire group blinked in unison. Leo, Crystal, and Adam exchanged glances, unsure if they had heard him correctly.
"A... teleporter?" Luna asked slowly, tilting her head as if the very concept was foreign to her.
Jamie stepped forward with a smug grin plastered across his face, hands on his hips and his cloak fluttering dramatically behind him. "That’s right~! While the rest of you were probably wandering around like lost puppies, the world actually got an upgrade. See, about a month ago—"
Morgan held up a hand and cut him off before he could get any more carried away. "I’ll explain later. For now, let’s just say it’s a new system addition. We paid the fee and got here instantly."
Jamie pouted but didn’t argue, though he muttered something under his breath about being "robbed of his moment of glory."
Lily raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms. "So they can teleport between villages now? That would’ve saved us a lot of walking back then."
"It wasn’t around before," Crystal added thoughtfully. "I keep track of most system updates and features. This one must’ve been recent."
"Recent enough that it saved us the trouble of hiking all the way here," Jamie said cheerfully, instantly switching back to his usual playful tone. "You can thank me later for being our travel planner."
Ethan shrugged with a small laugh. "He told us it was something new. Beyond that, I have no clue how it works. I just followed him through a glowing circle and ended up here."
Vivian nodded. "Same here. I didn’t think it was going to work at first, but it was fast. Too fast."
Greg rubbed the back of his neck with a frown. "So the game just lets people move around like that now, huh? Makes me feel old."
"You are old," Rachel teased instantly, grinning from ear to ear. "Don’t worry, Grandpa, we’ll keep you up to date."
"Keep talking and I’ll make you run laps around the forest," Greg shot back with a smirk, which only made her laugh louder.
Leo couldn’t help but smile faintly at their antics. The familiar energy among them made the strangeness of the world feel a little lighter. But even through the jokes and teasing, he could sense the same unspoken question on everyone’s mind—what had really changed during those three months?
Aria took a step forward, her expression curious but calm. "So if teleporters are active now, that means the player base has advanced a lot. We should expect stronger monsters and possibly reworked dungeons too." 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮
Crystal nodded in agreement. "The ecosystem might have shifted. We can’t assume everything will be the same as before."
Jamie stretched lazily. "Which just means more loot for us. A perfect way to celebrate us getting together, don’t you think?"
Rachel snapped her fingers with a grin. "Now that’s the kind of optimism I like!"
Luna rolled her eyes. "You two are going to get along too well, and that terrifies me."
"I’ll take that as a compliment!" Jamie said brightly, giving her a playful wink that made her groan in frustration.
Penny giggled quietly at the exchange. "You’re all hopeless."
"Hopeless but united," Lily replied with a grin. "That counts for something."
Leo let them talk for a bit longer before stepping forward. His voice carried enough quiet authority that everyone gradually turned to face him. "Alright, that’s enough chatter. We have work to do. Now that everyone’s here, I want to make sure our formation follows what we agreed on in the real world."
The tone in his voice shifted just enough for the atmosphere to calm down. The laughter faded into attentive silence.
There was a brief moment of murmuring as everyone moved closer to their assigned teammates. Penny was the first to break the silence, her eyes soft but questioning. "Leo... are you sure you want to go on your own?"
Leo smiled gently at her, his tone calm but resolute. "Yes. This is something I need to do myself."
She hesitated for a moment, then nodded, trusting his decision even if she clearly didn’t like it.
Greg’s usual grin faded slightly. "You sure you won’t need backup, Leo?"
"I’ll be fine," Leo replied simply. His eyes had that same quiet intensity that made it hard for anyone to argue. "There’s something I have to confirm, and it’s better if I do it alone."
Luna sighed but didn’t press him further. "Then at least be careful. You attract trouble like a magnet."
Rachel snickered. "Yeah, it’d be a shame if our fearless leader got flattened before the real fun starts."
"I’ll keep that in mind," Leo said with a faint chuckle.
Once the groups had formed, Leo closed his eyes, the familiar pattern of constellations flickering faintly in his mind. He focused on the fragments of memory and instinct that guided him, letting the images form until they became clear. When he finally opened his eyes, his expression turned serious.
"The Path to Hell is located at the Kobold Nest."
Adam groaned immediately, dragging a hand down his face. "You’ve got to be kidding me. We have to go back there?"
The others looked at him curiously, as Lily remembered the time that Adam had to stick his arm back on.
Luna tilted her head slightly. "Guess it’s time to face some old memories, then."
Rachel smirked. "Maybe the Kobolds will remember us too."
"If they have, they’ll need it," Greg said with a grin that made Rachel laugh again.
Leo waited until the laughter faded before continuing. "The Gate to Heaven will be found on Mount Stone."
Jamie perked up instantly. "Wait, Mount Stone? That’s where the Harpies’ Lair dungeon is, right?"
Crystal nodded. "I’ve heard of it. A relatively new one, discovered only recently."
Jamie grinned, leaning back slightly with his hands behind his head. "Then this will be easy. Harpies are all wings and attitude, not much else. Bet they—"
He stopped mid-sentence when he noticed several sharp glares aimed directly at him. Aria in particular was giving him a look that could melt steel.
"What?" Jamie asked innocently, then blinked as realization hit him when Aria’s wings rustled faintly behind her back. His eyes widened. "Oh. Ohhh. I meant, uh, majestic! Harpies are majestic! Lovely creatures, really!"
Rachel burst out laughing while Aria rolled her eyes, though a small smile tugged at her lips. "Smooth save."
"I try my best," Jamie said weakly, rubbing the back of his neck.
Luna sighed again. "You really don’t know when to stop talking, do you?"
"Not at all," Jamie replied cheerfully.
Despite the laughter and teasing, a faint unease hung in the air. The humor was there, but it couldn’t quite hide the tension beneath it. Leo’s gaze drifted over the two groups, his expression thoughtful. Each of them had grown stronger, that much was clear, but he could not shake the sense that something darker awaited them beyond these next trials.
He turned his eyes toward the distant mountains on the horizon and exhaled softly. "I just hope... you’ll all be okay."
The others didn’t hear him, lost in their chatter and preparation. But for Leo, the weight of what was coming pressed heavily against his chest. He straightened his posture and forced a faint smile, hiding the worry behind calm eyes as he looked back at his friends.
"Let’s get ready," he said quietly. "The real journey starts now."
