Despite the many faces stored in Baitong’s memories, Noah couldn’t immediately place the distinguished man before him.

"Hahaha… True. To you, I’m merely a passing pianist."

The man’s lips twitched slightly. His in-game model mirrored his real appearance exactly, making Noah’s utter indifference sting with peculiar awkwardness.

"Pianist?"

Noah sifted desperately through Baitong’s memories until realization dawned on her face.

At a Bai Group banquet, Baitong had slipped onto the balcony for air and struck up a lively conversation with a refined pianist—becoming fast friends. Before parting, Baitong had seen through the man’s disguise.

"You’re… the CEO of the studio behind *Light of Mystery*. One of gaming’s most promising creators. Your name is…"

Noah strained to recall, pressing a hand to her forehead in frustration. Her ample chest dimpled slightly under the pressure of her elbow. The man watched her hopefully, patiently awaiting his name.

"Khepri!"

Noah’s eyes lit up as the name burst forth.

"……"

The air froze. The man’s smile vanished. He pressed a finger to his glasses, dark clouds gathering at the corners of his mouth.

"Not a single character correct. My name is Bai Yuan. Not… *that*."

And inexplicably—he felt insulted.

"So, Khepri," Noah ignored him completely, shifting into a battle stance. The luminous full moon reappeared overhead, bathing her in silvery light. She braced for all-out combat.

The man’s earlier movement still haunted her. From that outstretched hand, she’d sensed primal terror—like a king cobra lying in wait, striking with thunderous speed to sink venomous fangs into its prey’s throat.

Though she knew players were weaker than natives here, and death wasn’t permanent… Noah was ready to unleash her trump card.

"…Never mind. My target is only your soul. The rest is irrelevant."

Bai Yuan adjusted his glasses sharply, as if forcing the frames deeper into his skull. He pulled up a system menu. Under Noah’s wary gaze, his fingers tapped several commands.

"Had you lived purely as Noah, capturing you would’ve been troublesome. But you reclaimed your player identity… and walked right to me. Remarkable."

His voice regained its usual calm—a flat tone that sent a flicker of unease through Noah.

Before she could react, he intoned mechanically:

"Player ID A01205. Movement Lock command activated."

"!"

Noah’s eyes narrowed. Her draconic wings flared as she tried to retreat—but her limbs locked like rusted gears. Not an inch would budge. Even her cry of alarm died trapped in her throat.

"Then… though later than planned, I’ll take your soul."

Bai Yuan advanced with clockwork precision, elegance in every step. His slender right hand reached toward Noah’s forehead. From the fingertips down, his flesh turned translucent, glowing faint blue—like raw soul-stuff made manifest.

Noah sensed unspeakable danger. If that hand entered her mind, her soul would be ripped away. Yet… this feeling was oddly familiar?

Helpless, she watched the spectral fingers near her brow—until the *Embrace of Rosemary* on her right hand erupted with cerulean light.

"What!?"

Bai Yuan recoiled. A pale blue barrier blocked his hand. The unexpected resistance made him jerk back instinctively, scrambling to retreat.

Too late.

A wisp of ashen spirit-flame ignited over Noah’s chest—the talisman Ledyah had given her.

From the abyssal depths of the Mariana Trench, a grotesque black greatsword slashed upward. It severed Bai Yuan’s outstretched arm before he could withdraw.

"Ugh!"

Soul-searing pain contorted his face. Clutching the stump where his "King’s Power" had been, he stared in disbelief at the twisted blade.

The talisman blazed, floating free from between Noah’s breasts. It coalesced into the projection of a Demon King clad in a black gown. Her crimson eyes opened slowly, holding death and authority.

Noah’s body unlocked instantly. Ledyah’s strike had severed her connection to the system—even briefly.

"Demon King… Ledyah!"

Bai Yuan’s composure shattered. Panic flickered across his face. He’d kicked a nightmare forged in iron.

As a soul-artificer wielding system privileges, only two beings terrified him in this world:

First—Yemina, High Priest of the Holy Empire. A system co-creator who still held ultimate admin authority.

Second—Ledyah, the thousand-year Lich of the Mandor Empire. Master of souls, wielder of soul-rending power.

Yemina could sanction his player account. Ledyah could reach beyond worlds to slaughter his real soul.

In short: even as a pixelated game character, Ledyah could follow the internet cables to kill the player behind the screen.

"Don’t run!"

Seeing Bai Yuan access the system menu, Noah summoned a cerulean light-sword. With Ledyah’s spirit-flame-wreathed greatsword flanking him, they trapped Bai Yuan between blades.

But his body vanished into thin air an instant later. Both swords cleaved empty space—he escaped becoming sandwich filling.

"Just as I thought…"

Noah’s eyes hardened. Bai Yuan hadn’t teleported. He’d *logged out*. His uncanny appearances? He’d set his spawn point wherever he wished.

Ordinary players could only respawn at inns or campfires. Bai Yuan exploited his privileges.

Now she understood why Crenina never sensed his ambush. To a world saturated with system code, his attack was like the air itself turning hostile.

Frankly? That was scarier than any ghost story.