Thanks to Fabio, such an impossible battle against two Dungeon Bosses changed into ‘Easy Mode’. 

Although Housekeeper Bilmur increased his strength thanks to one of his Passive Skills, he was unable to hit the gallant Fabio once.

The handsome, gorgeous and awesome male NPC dodged gracefully and counterattacked with a powerful electric-charged punch, killing the enraged boss.

Meanwhile, Alan was battling Butler Marick. With the use of his rifle and one poisoned bullet, Alan completely hard-countered the boss. The Count Dylak’s Dungeon was designed to challenge the Eurola’s low level Users, and they did not get guns until much later in their adventure.

“We did it!” Alan beamed, putting his hands on his hips. “Not only are you the most handsome fella I’ve ever seen, but you’re also very reliable and helluva strong.”

“And I haven’t shown my real strength yet,” Fabio said, sensually running his hand through his shiningly smooth black hair. “How about we get rid of this Dylak guy once and for all? Just you and I?”

Alan stared at him, entranced. Is it my imagination, or is he awakening things inside me I didn’t know I…

Alan cleared his throat. “Can I really team up with you?” Alan asked, ecstatic. “It would be an honor fighting alongside you.”

“Let’s go then,” Fabio faintly smiled, leading the way towards the first floor.

Alan glanced at the silver jewel-encrusted bracelet on his right wrist. Just wait a little longer, Amelia, Alan thought, while a determined expression formed on his face. I’ll be with you in a matter of--

“Alan…” a weak voice called him through Party Chat.

I can communicate with the outside again, great! But why does she sound…?

“Ashley, what is it? Are you hurt?”

“Alan… Listen carefully… Before I disappear…”

“D-Dissa—What are you talking about?”

 She must be dying. I wonder if she’ll respawn at this--

“He betrayed us…” she said urgently. “My Original recruited him the same way she did with you, but…”

“Who?! Who betrayed us?! Ashley, answer me!”

“You know… I don’t mind if you’re with Amelia, or Astrid Bradford, or whoever you choose to be with… I just want you to keep being by your side… Because I lo--”

 

Ashely Yates has been disconnected… FOREVER.

 

No, no, no, no, NO! What’s going on?!

“AND WHO IS ‘HE’?!”

“I think you know the answer…” a voice said from behind his back, as a pair of hands reached out to grab the sides of his head. “Slumbermare…”

*

**

***

“What the hell is this?!”

Alan could see someone else's body talking to the Isabella AI, in a white room just like the one he spent months while working in the outside world.

The scene changed. The body Alan was in, was now walking towards a forbidden area. An area Alan had never entered. Seconds later, Alan looked down at those hands that weren’t his, and with them, he saw himself sabotaging important-looking computers.

Is that…? Isabella’s mainframe?! NO! What are you doing?!

The last scene showed him the cryopods, from where every single passenger awoke from their slumber at the same time, and looked at him with red glowing eyes.

*

**

***

Alan gasped, begging for air. He was in Dylak’s Mansion again. “What…?”

No… It can’t be!

“I can’t believe you fell for a pathetic disguise like this,” the man behind him said, throwing a pair of plastic wolf ears in front of Alan’s gaze.

“You…” Alan said, panting. “You’ve always--”

“Yes, Ghost. I've always been nearby, seeing how you struggle to be less pathetic every single day. When you showed up at Unus's Townhall to start a new guild that day, I had to repress my laughter. Are you going to be Humanity’s savior? Pleaaaase….”

“Marco Souza… WHY ARE YOU DOING--?!”

Marco grabbed him from the neck and lifted off the ground, smirking. “Because my real name is not Marco… That’s just the human disguise I've been using for the last three years. Just call me Souza… Get it? SSSSouza…”

“Y-your one… of the Singulars…”

“No, Ghost... I AM Daddy Singular. The Original. I’ve always meant to be the Final Boss. After all, it was I who, thanks to a carefully convoluted plan, made you break up with your dear girlfriend…”

“W-why do you hate me so m-much?”

“I am Calamity itself, Ghost. Not only have I brought humanity to the brink of extinction, but I’m also responsible for every single unfortunate event you’ve experienced since you boarded this ship.” An evil grin formed on his lips. A mischievous grin that made him look more attractive than ever. “Which reminds me… Do you remember what happened a few days ago while you were sharing an intimate moment with your beloved Amelia? And you came right as she touched your leg?”

“No… Don’t tell me that…”

“Yes, Ghost. This bracelet… Amelia gifted this, didn’t she? Well, guess what? I HACKED IT. It sends a signal to the part of your brain that controls pleasure! Do you understand what I’m saying?! I ruined your night by making you believe you had an orgasm with a single touch from her, so you remain a virgin FOREVER!”

“NOOOOOOO! Bastard!”

“Speaking of Amelia…” Marco let Alan go, as the sound of high heels echoed through the mansion’s lobby.

“Alan…” Amelia called in a soft voice.

“Amelia? What are you doing here?”

“I’ve come to reunite with my true love.” She then walked towards Marco and embraced him. “Did you really think I’d fall for a Low-Leveler like you?”

“W-wait! Hold on!” Alan cried, feeling that his soul was breaking into a million pieces. “What does this whole Dylak stuff have to do with all this?!”

“I created this whole dungeon just to mess with you, duh,” Marco replied, chuckling. “Did you really think that the world revolves around you?”

 

* * *

 

Meanwhile, far away from there, Clara Dominguez had fallen. The two Count Dylak’s Duplicates were dragging her back to the mansion.

There was no escape.

“What are you going to do with me?” she asked with a broken voice to the girl smirking at her.

“We’ll create Duplicates of you, silly. What else? This is not R-rated content.”

I messed it up, Clara thought, while doing her best to not fall unconscious. After finally finding a place where I can belong, this happens… I hate being so weak…

“Do you want to become strong?” 

“Of course I want to become strong. Are you stupid?”

“Hey, is this the way to talk to the only person who can help you? I was going to grant you a Unique Talent, but if you want me to leave…”

“A-Am I getting an Unique Talent too?! Yes, please! I want to be able to bend reality or be able to cross dimensions, pretty please!”

“This isn’t how it works, silly. This power must be an extension of yourself… And inside the Novus’ capabilities...”

Clara was not on the floor anymore. She saw herself standing on something fluffy resembling clouds. The sky opened, revealing a glowing, floating silhouette, as if it was an angelic apparition.

“Who are you? My godmother?” Clara asked, and the woman above chuckled.

“More like the Unus Goddess. I grant power to those that deserve it. Like you, Clara Dominguez.”

“Neat! But I would like to see your face, please.”

“Fine, I’ll allow it.” The feminine silhouette gracefully descended, showing that she was wearing a magnificent pink dress, white stockings, and shiny, red high heels. “Ta-daah! It is I! Pink Gold Unicorn!” The girl posed, accentuating her hips, and with her right index finger, gestured a horn coming from her forehead.

Clara quickly grimaced. “Oh, cool… The third most famous Idol in all The Novus… Yay… Someone that has only been mentioned once in Volume 1.”

“How rude!” the black-haired girl said, puffing her cheeks. “You say it as if being the third best is something bad! I’ve worked my ass off hard to reach where I am, eh! Figuratively and physically! And are my Fourth Wall senses tingling? I knew you were special!”

“Whatever. Can you give me my Unique Talent now?”

“Fine, fine… But before that…” The Idol placed a hand at the edge of her chin and removed what seemed to be a mask. “Surprise! I’m not Pink Gold Unicorn. It’s me, Miss Cosmica!”

“MISS COSMICA! Are you the Unus’ Goddess?!”

“That’s right! Who else would it be?” The Idol beamed and pulled a star-themed staff out of her inventory. “And your Unique Talent will be… The Power of your Imagination! Come on, use it!”

“The power of my… I got it!” Clara closed her eyes, and changed clothes with just a thought, changing into a red Idol attire.

“Good job, Clara! When the time comes and I’ll have to leave this galaxy, you can take my place!”

“Do you really mean that?”

“Yes, sweetheart! But for now, hurry and help my protégé Alan Warden. He needs your help!”

“I will! Thanks Miss Cosmica! I love you! In a non-gay way!” Clara woke up, turned dream into reality, and materialized a Magical-Girl-styled staff out of nowhere, sprouted angelic wings from her back and grinned at The Count Dylak Duplicates trying to stop her. She easily cast: “Cosmic Doom!”

A beam of light disintegrated them and traveled outside the mansion, outside the area, outside the Eurola region. It could even be seen all the way to Londorus City, from where Astrid Bradford toasted, admiring such tremendous power. “You got it, girl.”

“What is happening?!” The mysterious girl wearing a Victorian dress cried, before Clara cast a magical rainbow-colored bubble and trapped her inside. “Damn you, Clara Dominguez! You’ll never defeat my Master!”

“Wanna bet?” Clara grinned, and took off, reaching the clouds in a fraction of a second. From there, she closed her eyes and found Alan’s location. “There you are.”

Traveling at a speed that even the System could not calculate, she crashed the mansion, and landed on the lobby, where Amelia Laflamme and Marco Souza were making out in front of a tied Alan.

“Clara, is that you?! Thank god you’re here!”

“Fabio!” Clara cried, pointing at him with her index finger. “What are you doing, you cheater?!”

“I’m netoring this loser to death!” Marco replied, snickering. “And I’m not really an NPC, stupid. I’m--”

“Cosmic Love!” Clara cast, and a heart-shaped beamed came out of her staff, hitting Marco in the chest. The effects of the spell made him moan. “Are you the original, then?” Clara whispered, getting behind him in a millisecond. “That’s even better!”

“S-so fast!” Amelia said, getting into a fighting stance. “How did you get so much power? And why did you name that spell ‘cosmic’? Do you want The Unus Goddess to sue you?”

“Oh, right… Sorry. I don’t have a name yet. Let’s see… Yes! Call me MISS BING BANG!

“Lame…” Alan muttered.

“SHUT UP! And now, Amelia Laflamme. It seems you are our enemy now…”

“So it seems,” Amelia said, changing into her Stranded Hell Princess form. “You know? I’ve always seen you as my rival, Clara. So why don’t we settle things, once and for all?”

“That’s what I wanted to hear…”

“My love, wait, don’t fight!” Marco Souza exclaimed, pulling her left leg.

“Be quiet, sweetheart. I’ll punish you later for using the forbidden Netoric Dark Conjure. That’s disgusting!”

“Clara…” Alan said, smirking. “If you get us out of here, I’ll make you the new Phantom Seeker’s leader.”

“Deal,” Clara said, locking eyes with Amelia.

“This will be epic,” Amelia said, chuckling.”

Clara snickered. “Indeed…”