This eerie fishing village held not a trace of life. Peering past the entrance, Soulshadow Tianyou and Loli Monkey saw no NPCs or monsters.

"Can't be this simple..." Soulshadow Tianyou muttered to herself.

Loli Monkey stayed silent. Earlier, she’d boasted she’d clear this place with ease—but now, faced with the desolate village, fear crept in. It wasn’t about her strength; it was her spirit buckling. She’d follow her master’s lead from here on.

"Little Monkey," Soulshadow Tianyou said sternly, crouching to meet her eyes. "Listen carefully. No fooling around."

"Okay," Loli Monkey nodded.

"Once we enter the Hidden Map, all stats get recalibrated. Players, pets, monsters—everything resets to preset values. We’ll tread carefully. We don’t know our enemies or their traits. Everything’s unknown."

"Mm-hmm." Loli Monkey nodded again, obedient.

"One hit is all we can take. Not a second. Our lives are linked—you die, I die. If either falls, the Hidden Quest fails." Soulshadow Tianyou kept lecturing.

"I know, Master. Seriously, you nag like an old maid," Loli Monkey grumbled.

"Better safe than sorry. Especially here—the game’s most malicious map." Soulshadow Tianyou chuckled.

"Got it, got it! I’ll be careful. Let’s go!" Loli Monkey summoned her Little Golden Staff, hoisting it onto her shoulder. Her playful fear vanished, replaced by fierce readiness.

"Good," Soulshadow Tianyou sighed. No matter how strong she was, she was still just a child.

"Forward!" Loli Monkey charged ahead.

But the moment her foot landed, dirt erupted near the altar. A shadow lunged—a fish-like monster thrusting a spear at Loli Monkey’s side.

"Watch out!" Soulshadow Tianyou surged forward. An Iron Mountain Lean slammed Loli Monkey aside as her Fangblade Shortsword flashed free.

*Clang!* Steel shrieked against steel.

"Oof!" Loli Monkey stumbled back a few steps but steadied herself. She whirled around.

Her master stood locked in a strength contest, short sword braced against the monster’s spear.

The creature was a grotesque fusion: a gray-blue piranha body covered in cracked, moldy scales, yet sprouting human limbs. It gripped a rusted trident.

"...Beachcomber?" Soulshadow Tianyou glared, her violet eyes icy. Level 15. A single health bar. No skills or attack patterns known. "What a tasteless name."

"*Graaah! Graaah!*" The Beachcomber screeched mindlessly, jabbing its trident wildly. Blue light flared along the spear—activated skill.

Soulshadow Tianyou leaned back, then kicked off the ground. She flipped midair, violet eyes flashing. A Poisonous Mushroom materialized in her hand and hurtled straight at the Beachcomber’s face.

*Boom!* The mushroom exploded on impact. Five times damage triggered—but no critical hit. Half the monster’s health vanished.

*Thud.* Soulshadow Tianyou landed, short sword gripped reverse-handed. She looked up.

The Beachcomber ignored the toxic smoke. It leapt through the blast, trident aimed to impale her skull.

"Tch." Soulshadow Tianyou braced to counter—

"Filthy thing! Mess with my master?!"

Loli Monkey blurred past her. The Little Golden Staff swung sideways with crushing force, caving in the Beachcomber’s gut.

The monster gagged, spewing foul liquid. It shot backward like a cannonball, crashed to the ground, and dissolved into white light.

Loli Monkey’s strike had erased its remaining health.

She sprinted to Soulshadow Tianyou’s side, helping her up. "Master! Are you okay?"