Ripples danced across the crystal-clear waters of the cave as Sunraku's stone skimmed the still surface, each skip breaking the silence with a soft plip.
"Before we visit Set-chan," Pencilgon's voice cut through the quiet, sharp and sudden, "I have someone else I want to drag along."
Sunraku froze, the stone slipping from his grasp and landing with a quiet splash. His gaze flicked toward her — part curiosity, part concern. He knew that tone — she had conjured up another horrid scheme.
"Whoever it is," he muttered, "I feel bad for them already..."
"Hmph, Don't stare at me like that. I have only taken some protective measures to influence their decision." She responded matter-of-factly as she mindlessly drifted through the game UI.
"Perfect, he's online," she announced, mostly to herself.
Sunraku coughed, almost choking on the murderous, cunning air swirling around her.
"I'll have him meet us at the 'Prismatic Forest Grotto,'" she added, more to the cave walls than anyone else.
"So, mind explaining who this poor guy is?" Oikatzo asked, pushing aside the flap of the save-tent as he stepped out of it.
"Someone I think you'll both find very interesting — that's all I'll say." Her answer revealed nothing yet somehow promised everything. Without another word, she dismantled the save-tent in one swift motion and gestured for them to follow.
---
As they made their way through the Prismatic Forest, Oikatzo and Sunraku couldn't shake the oppressive weight of Pencilgon's sinister yet focused aura — like a blade poised just above their necks.
Then, without warning, it vanished.
"Great, he's on his way." Pencilgon paused, closing her UI with a swift flick. "Only took a little threatening... I mean, negotiation."
Oikatzo crashed into Sunraku from behind, caught off guard by the group's abrupt halt.
"Hey, why'd you stop, idiot!" Oikatzo shouted, ready to scold the bird-headed man—until he noticed Sunraku and Pencilgon's distant gazes, fixed on a battle unfolding nearby.
It moved like a shadow dancing across the battlefield, weaving through the darkness as it carved its enemies apart. Sword strikes clashed against the swarm of Empire Bees, igniting eruptions of sparks and a symphony of screeching metal. The movements were too fast for him to catch who — or what — the swarm was fighting.
Struggling to tear his gaze away from the high-speed battle, Oikatzo snapped his attention toward his two companions. Sunraku's expression was clouded with reminiscence, yet uncertainty lingered in his eyes. Pencilgon, on the other hand, wore a wicked, cunning grin — unmistakably amused. It was clear she knew exactly who this was.
After finally dispatching the swarm, the shadow appeared before the group, its sudden presence making the bird-headed companion recoil slightly. Without the blur of movement, his appearance became much clearer — jet-black hair fell gently across his face, and a black cloak with crimson accents lining the inside draped over his frame. He stood at an average height, about the same as Sunraku, but his eyes carried an eerie darkness, black as the void.
Pencilgon stepped forward toward the man but turned back to face her companions. "This is Kuro—" But before she could finish, she was immediately cut off.
"Kuro? You mean the Phantom?!" Her two companions screamed in unison.
An air of hostility erupted around them as Pencilgon unleashed her killing intent, the pressure settling heavily on her two unsuspecting companions. "Don't interrupt me when I'm talking!"
Finally speaking up, Kuro's voice cut through the tension. "I truly hold a deep disdain for whichever developer exposed me to the entire player base..." Despite his appearance, his tone was unexpectedly calm, with no hint of hostility or ill will. Unlike a certain someone in the group.
Kuro's unexpected comment worked wonders, instantly easing the tension between the group. Pencilgon's irritation seemed to vanish in an instant. Oikatzo and Sunraku quickly decided they needed this man in their group — a reliable way to quell the mighty, murderous Pencilgon's anger whenever they found themselves in need of saving.
"Anyway, it's nice to meet you all. I'm Kuro, though this game has cursed me with the name Phantom," he greeted with a gentle wave.
Sunraku, who had been about to introduce himself, was immediately cut off by Pencilgon. "These two are my idiot friends. The freak with the bird head is the one I said shares a similar game view to you."
Taking a moment to study Sunraku's familiar appearance, Kuro's mind began to work. "Woah! Aren't you the player who fought Lycagon before me? I read an article about it."
"Eh! You fought that mutt too?!" Sunraku exclaimed, apparently completely unaware of what had happened. Kuro tilted his head, picturing Lycagon as a mutt, and tried to stifle a laugh.
"Do you not read anything?!" Oikatzo screamed, starstruck at how oblivious Sunraku was to all the major news in the game he'd been playing non-stop every single day.
"It's not my fault...! I was too busy—" Sunraku screamed, practically butting heads with the smaller female avatar of Oikatzo.
"Let me guess, too busy grinding, huh?!" Oikatzo shot back, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
"Yeah! Exactly that! The devil told us to get to level 50 fast, so of course, I've been grinding!"
Hearing herself referred to as a 'devil,' Pencilgon jumped into the fray, and the three of them quickly turned into a chaotic ball of smoke and violence, much like something out of an old-timey cartoon fight.
From a bystander's point of view, one could easily assume that these people absolutely hated each other. However, Kuro could tell right away that the opposite was true. The reason they were able to argue and fight like this was precisely because of the closeness of their bond.
Not so long later the fight died down.
"So, Mr. Phantom, how exactly did the devil manage to blackmail you into this, huh?" Oikatzo asked, almost starting another fight. However, Pencilgon let it slide this time, sensing the conversation was starting to get serious.
"Well, I'm not even sure what we're doing yet, but she has an image of me that's incredibly incriminating and could ruin everything."
Misinterpreting his words as something a bit more private, Oikatzo and Sunraku stared at each other in utter shock.
"I knew she was a devil, but that far...?"
"She truly is evil incarnate."
"It's nothing like that, you morons!" Pencilgon bellowed, immediately shutting down their trains of thought.
Extra Info:
Kuro has a unique hobby in Shangri-La Frontier: collecting various types of tea leaves. With the game's vast world and endless possibilities, there are countless tea flavours that don't exist in the real world. This hobby proves especially useful, as the Brewery skill allows him to brew teas that provide status effects and buffs, making his tea collection not just a personal interest, but a tactical asset in his adventures.
Kuro's skill 'Segmented Mind' Has a weakness that hasn't been mentioned yet.