160: Death Sentence, Part Three

Death Sentence, Part Three

{Charlotte}

The morning after her talk with Neve, Charlotte strolled into Roxy's living room with a massive grin on her face. 

"Buenos dias," Roxy called out to her from the couch, only taking her eyes off the news briefly. "What's got you smiling like that? New girlfriend or something?" 

"Oh, I wish!" Charlotte responded. 

"What is it, then?" 

"Ah, nothing much~" Charlotte strutted toward Roxy, whose right brow went higher and higher with every step she took. "I just spoke with the single most popular woman on the internet last night. That's all." 

"Really?" Roxy sounded impressed. "You actually sent her those notes of yours?"

"Mhm, mhm." 

"What did she say?" 

"She appreciated it and, hopefully, this means she will consider speaking with me again in the future, in a more extended manner of course." 

"Hm. Wow. And, how many times did you try to get in her pants during this conversation?" 

"Not once." 

Now, Roxy was truly impressed. 

"Who the hell are you and what have you done to my ex-girlfriend?" 

"Ahhh, things are looking up, Roxy!" The journalist exclaimed as she fell onto Roxy's lap. "I'm so excited to see..." 

Charlotte was interrupted by a "breaking news" announcement from the tv. 

She and Roxy turned to look at it as a news anchor spoke to the camera. 

"... have just received news that a haunting scene has just been uncovered in the middle of Starlight Avenue. Civilians passing through were shocked as they found an ominous message waiting for them. Viewers, be advised that what you're about to see may be shocking." 

The camera then cut to a body burning atop a pyre, with many curious spectators gathered around it. 

There was a message right beside the body, which was what Charlotte's eyes immediately gravitated toward. 

And, that message read: 

[0098123]

"Hm..." Charlotte sat up. "That looks like..." 

Her hunch told her to head straight to the donation menu and look those numbers up. 

Doing so confirmed the suspicions she immediately had. 

[Ah... Those bastards,] Charlotte scowled. [That's Thomas's player ID.] 

---

{Neve}

"So, how strong will this enemy of ours be?" Erin asked as she and Neve were about to leave the safe zone. 

"Probably as strong as I am," Neve speculated. Given that Tamira had gone as far as to have Thomas kill Ahlakan, she guessed that the snake was trying to even the odds to the best of her ability.

[With all the gifts I got, though, are the odds really still going to be even?] 

"By the way," Neve told her, as she looked through her notifications. "Don't assume that what was in that notepad is all he can do. Chances are he's going to have other tricks up his sleeve." 

"I understand," Erin responded. "I will do my best." 

"... Thank you." 

At that moment, Neve saw that Charlotte had sent her another message. 

Once again, she was asking for a video call. 

[Hm. Okay, let's see what she has to say.] 

Picking the call up, Neve saw Charlotte sitting at a grey desk. 

The pink rose-haired woman wore a longsleeved shirt that looked as smooth and silky as the person it was covering. 

It wasn't exactly covering a whole lot, though, as the window it gave just below her neck stretched on, and on, and...

"Neve?" Charlotte greeted her with a smile. "Good morning." 

"Good morning," Neve replied quietly. 

"Seeing how you're all geared up I assume your fight has either already happened or is about to happen, right?" 

"I was just about to head out, yeah. What do you need?" Neve asked, wanting to get this call over with as quickly as possible. 

Now that she was here, about to step into the 8th Floor and seek out her enemy, the bloodlust she felt was at an all-time high. Neve's hands were shaking with anger just thinking about what she'd hopefully get to do in a few minutes. 

"I wanted to let you know about something important," she said, her expression suddenly turning far more serious. "Eh... How should I explain this? See, while you have been in the Final Challenge, a certain group has popped up." Her fingers interlocked as she explained this, sounding almost like she was reading from a script. "They're called the Hidden Blade Guild and, well, to make a long story short, they're essentially a bunch of murderers." 

"What does that have to do with me?" Neve asked, wanting to get to the point. 

"Well, they watched your stream," Charlotte explained. "And, apparently, these people agree that they should send gifts to the Final Challenge, they just don't think it's *you* who should be receiving them." 

Neve's eyes widened as she understood what Charlotte was getting at. 

[... Yeah, like I said. The odds are probably going to be pretty even. At least, as far as gear goes.] 

"That said, those notes I gave you earlier also made note of some popular assassin weapons and gear, so if you went through them, you should still have a decent chance. You did read them, right?"

"I did," Neve nodded. "Thanks for telling me." 

A satisfied smile bloomed on the journalist's face. 

"You're very welcome." 

---

Unlike the 7th Floor, the 8th Floor wasn't entirely cleared. 

This meant that Neve's path to Thomas was mostly laid out for her. If there were androids and cyborgs in the way, waiting for any wandering players to kill, then it meant that Thomas probably hadn't been through there. If the concrete road was littered with severed metallic limbs and impaled robots, then it meant Thomas probably had been through there. 

[I'll look for the Floor Quest once I'm done,] Neve noted. 

It started to rain, then. The lights on the buildings nearby flickered, as though struggling to hold on just enough to light Neve's way as she headed to the boss marker. 

She looted the bodies on the way, of course. Finding mostly just alchemical ingredients and weapons she could sell, amidst the healer-specific gear she was owed per the agreement she made with Tamira. 

It surprised Neve herself just how calm she was. There were no doubts in her heart, no concern over the outcome of this fight. All she felt was a burning desire to tear her target apart.  2

And, as she saw that the boss leading to the 9th Floor had not been cleared yet, Tamira let her know: 

"He's still on this floor," The snake whispered in Neve's ear. "The battle against this floor's boss was quite troublesome for him, due to your presence raising the level of the boss slightly. like the 3rd Floor's boss, he was allowed to leave, though. He's licking his wounds right now. If you attack soon, you can probably swing the odds in your favor..."

As much as Neve appreciated the information, she still wasn't about to respond to the snake. 

Neve assumed that she outright couldn't harm her, since those spells she cast went straight through her assistant. So, ultimately, this was the best she could do to get back at her. 

"Aw, still giving me the silent treatment? Fine, fine. Be on your way, then. I'm rather excited to see what will happen." 

Thankfully, the snake left Neve's mind. 

Leaving the boss arena, Neve told Erin what Tamira had said and continued moving, albeit far more slowly now. 

She didn't want to let him know she was coming. Though, she guessed there was a chance Tamira would do that anyway. 

Despite all the gifts, loot, and new equipment, the weapons Neve planned to use hadn't changed. She walked down the barren, empty road with her staff in one hand and Sayran's Holy Blade in the other. 

Taking stock of the other things she had, Neve formed a plan of attack in her mind. 

She'd been through countless fights since entering the Final Challenge. Likely two or three times the amount Thomas had been through, given the difference in their strategies when it came to clearing the Main Dungeon. 

Neve could almost see the battle she was about to have playing out in her thoughts. And, as she heard an explosion to her left, she quickened her pace, eager to turn those thoughts into reality. 

Erin went first, peeking around a corner. Looking back at Neve, she nodded and the healer breathed in sharply.

[... It's time.] 

Before she could go and get this over with, Neve needed to do one thing now while Thomas could not see her. 

She drank one of every single elixir and potion that she had in her Inventory. The ones she'd likely never get again, now that Ahlakan was gone. Additionally, she coated her sword in the same poison she'd used against the orc boss on the 6th Floor. 

Side by side, she and Erin then walked toward the source of the sound and... 

There he was. 

Level 50

MP: 200/200

Their eyes met as they stood in the middle of an intersection. Blinking, blue traffic lights highlighted the three figures in the rain. Thomas was up ahead, ripping a pair of white daggers out of a fallen mech. 

He mostly just looked surprised. Neve, however, scowled hard at him. 

"Neve... You made it," the man called out. They were far enough away from each other to where Neve couldn't really get a surprise attack in. "I'll be honest, I don't see why things have to be this way." 

Erin stood by Neve's side, waiting for her to give the signal. 

"We're both human," he said. "I would rather team up and take what's left of the Final Challenge on together! Even now, I don't have any intention of attacking you. I only killed that girl in self-defense, because you planned to use her to-" 

Neve snapped.

She cast {Fireball}. The assassin dodged away from it. 

And, the one fight Neve cared about finally began. 

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