Chapter 99

Ultimately, it took Lin about 20 minutes to recover her composure and restore her MP, and finally, the moment to use the *Golden Invitation* arrived.

"A little nervous, huh?"

"Yeah. I wonder what will happen when we use it... Let's stay focused."

Lin, who had just moments ago looked weak, now regained her resolute expression as she cut open the seal of the Golden Invitation. I followed suit and cut open the seal of my own invitation.

"Wow!"

"Kyaa!"

Blinding golden light spilled out from the envelopes, and we couldn't help but scream. When the intense light finally subsided, I found myself standing in front of a mysterious altar. Except for a sword prominently stuck in it, the altar was unnaturally devoid of any decoration.

"...? Lin?"

Lin, who should have opened her invitation at the same time, was nowhere to be found. I looked around, but she was still missing.

*Where am I?*

*What do you call this?*

*Sideon?*

*↑ Close. Altar.*

*Linne disappeared.*

*Yeah, Linne's gone.*

"Where did she go? By the way, this game teleports us around quite a bit. If it can do that, I wish they'd make warp zones in each town."

*Understand.*

*Understand.*

*The hassle of moving!*

*There are some in large dungeons... (shaky voice)*

*Understand.*

"Guess I'm not the only one. By the way, it's been a while since I streamed alone. I didn't catch many comments, but how's everyone's progress on the loops?"

*Slowly.*

*Got all the Stardust series.*

*↑ You got all those weapons...*

*↑ Probably Skuna can get five sets...*

*↑ Sorry.*

*Gathered a lot in the starting town.*

*Defeated Metal Rab.*

"Metal Rab? Like a Metal Slime?"

Metal Slimes are a concept that gives a lot of experience, but every game has monsters for grinding experience. They're usually fast and hard to catch, or have high defense and are hard to defeat. I haven't seen anything like that in WLO. Mysteria Rab is somewhat close, but that's for money.

By the way, you get a small amount of experience when you clear a Monster House, which has helped me level up a lot over the past few days. I'm level 70, well above the 50 needed for the Shuten quest, and I'm getting close to the level 90 required to advance the *Dōji* to a new stage. After the event, I might go to the starting town and look for the *Shrine of the End*.

"Anyway... should I just pull out this sword that's stuck in here?"

*Master Sword...*

*Sealed swords are romantic.*

*Understand.*

*It's a shiny, glittery sword.*

"Let's try pulling it out."

I gripped the hilt and pulled with all my might, but it came out much more easily than I expected. It felt so light, almost like it was made of plastic, and it was incredibly hard to swing, as if it was resisting the air. It must be some type of lightweight metal. The edge looked incredibly sharp. However, it didn't go into my inventory, so it seems I didn't actually obtain it.

"Hmm... nothing happens."

I thought pulling the sword would make the walls or floor move, but nothing happened. Standing there with the sword in front of the altar felt very lonely.

*It might fit there.*

I was standing there, feeling defeated, when I got a few such comments.

"Huh, where?"

*Around 2 o'clock and 3 o'clock.*

"That's almost directly to the right, isn't it?"

I don't want to argue about the definition of "right diagonal," but I want an apology for making me look that way. Joking aside, there was indeed a slot for the sword around 2 o'clock and 3 o'clock. Lin would have found this right away. I saw it, but I didn't think of it.

"Got it!"

I thrust the sword into the slot, and the wall in front of the altar began to open. I wonder why they made the slot for the sword and the door in different places. I really wish they hadn't.

"Well, let's go."

*Let's go!*

*The ghost girl is on the march!*

*Woohoo!*

"You guys are so hyped."

My enthusiasm was more like "Let's go," but the listeners were way too excited.

"I wonder if Lin is ahead. Or is this a solo trial?"

*No idea.*

*Linne was streaming too.*

*She's in a similar place.*

*She's solving the puzzles without hesitation.*

"Wow, she's good. I want to meet up, but it might be a solo trial."

As befitting a golden trial, the path ahead was glittering. I walked while chatting with the listeners. The path seemed to twist and turn, and it was hard to tell how far it went just by looking at the reflections on the walls. From the comments, it seemed Lin was in a similar situation. What should I do?

"I guess I just have to keep walking."

Maybe it's just a long, winding path, but it's not that far. But...

"No, it's so long!"

*Grass.*

*Grass is growing.*

*Even Skuna would comment on the length.*

*Watching it made me feel like I was going crazy.*

It took me nearly 30 minutes and almost 3 kilometers to finally reach a golden door. The scenery didn't change, and the path kept twisting. I wouldn't have made it without the comments and conversation.

"It was a bit stressful. Maybe I should kick it down."

*Don't do it.*

*No!*

*Let's go!*

*Don't rush!*

*Do it!*

*GO!*

"Hmm, majority rules! Here goes!"

Seeing the number of comments, I felt like the "do it" comments were more numerous, so I shouted and kicked the door with all my might. With a loud *BOOM*, the golden door flew off and hit something metallic, changing its trajectory and crashing into the far left, creating a pile of debris.

Beyond the door was a large room, like a Colosseum. Lin wasn't there, but instead, a golden knight was sitting cross-legged in the center. The door must have hit him, and his head was facing a strange direction.

*Ouch... You bastard! What the hell was that?*

"Sorry, I kicked it to relieve stress."

*Sorry, but no! It really hurt! Damn, are all the challengers like this?*

"Well, you were in the way of the door."

I apologized sincerely, but unfortunately, he wasn't convinced. His voice was clearly male. He was angry but didn't attack. Maybe he wasn't a monster, but part of an event. Either way, it was clear he was involved in this trial.

*Hmm, well, that's fine. So, how did you get the invitation?*

"It's okay... I got it as a reward from the Monster House."

*Oh, you cleared that? Not bad. I think it's one of the harder ways to get it.*

"I didn't do much work, though."

The golden knight, who seemed to have a casual personality, quickly changed the subject. From his words, it seemed there might be other ways to get the Golden Invitation besides clearing the Monster House. But that didn't matter now.

"Hey, I had a companion who opened the invitation with me when I came here."

*This trial is given to each person who enters the dungeon. Your companion is probably meeting me right now, too.*

"Hmm... that's fine, then."

It seems this trial is indeed a solo one. So, I won't meet Lin until I clear it.

*By the way, what's your name?*

"Skuna."

*Huh? ...Skuna?*

The moment he heard my name, the atmosphere around the golden knight changed.