Aside from James, the rest of the team rushes toward Mira, eager to be the first to see the message. Mira raises her band-wearing arm high and calmly asks them to step back. Yu pleads for news of Christine, desperation flickering in his eyes. When Mira sees Christine’s name at the top of the message from the nerds, she happily announces aloud that Christine is alive and back in the Dojo. Yu lets out a huge sigh of relief.

  However, Mira suddenly grows quiet, her gaze fixed on the message. She reads the next lines repeatedly, her expression shifting as she struggles to process their meaning.

  “What is it, Mira? Just tell us!” Wyn demands.

  Mira lowers her arm, her voice trembling. “Guys...no one else made it out alive.”

  Her words hit like a thunderclap. Tears well up in Lisa’s eyes, and Yu steps forward, gently pulling her into a comforting embrace. Wyn, on the other hand, stands frozen in silence.

  “Grandma Mildred – killed on level zero during the invasion. Lisa’s former team – lost defending the first level with Freedom Faction. Janine’s team – wiped out before the invasion while challenging a gorlock,” Mira reads.

  As soon as she finishes reading, Mira turns to her sister, wrapping her arms tightly around Lisa. Lisa collapses into her, sobbing uncontrollably. Through her tears, she begins blaming herself. James, standing nearby, feels a familiar unease creeping in – the same weight he felt after Anish’s death. He steps aside, his gaze distant, unable to meet the eyes of his grieving teammates. Noticing the shift in James’ expression, Wyn moves to his side. Without saying a word, he stands next to him, sharing the silence.

  “When we go to Heaven, things could go for the worst for all of us. Let’s spend the remaining days together, so we regret nothing,” Yu says.

  “You’re right, Mister Yu. Let’s get going,” Lisa responds, her sobs softening.

  After ensuring every team member is in a stable mental state, Wyn leads them through a portal. They emerge at campsite number twelve, the same place where they had previously found Lisa with the help of the nerds. Cateta is absent, replaced by a robot on wheels that speaks in a mechanical voice.

  “Your sister literally went through Hell to find you. I was genuinely shocked when she actually did,” Wyn says as the sisters embrace.

  They decide to first revisit the area where they lost Anish as a way to honor his memory. Starting there helps them feel that Anish remains with them through the memories they carry as they journey to other places they’ve shared together. Their goal is to recount their memories as a team of seven, including Christine.

  This area proves especially difficult for everyone to move on from. The memory of the events leading to Anish’s death feels painfully fresh, especially for Wyn. They hold hands and sob quietly, vowing to carry Anish’s joyous nature with them as they continue their journey through the levels of Heaven.

  Wyn sends cyclones inside the cave, yelling, “Fuck you, fuckfaces!” before quickly hopping back to campsite number nine. From there, they take a rolling coaster to the Promenade of Broken Dreams Station.

  “We’ll never get used to the fucking coaster,” James complains as they disembark.

  The team strolls around the promenade, the emptiness palpable now that they’re two members short. They don’t bother with any of the attractions. Instead, they sit in silence, watching a dolphin-like creature leap from the canal, attempting to mate with an unfortunate male soul who screams for help.

  “Guys, what are you fighting for? Why do you want to go to war?” Wyn asks.

  “The thought of eternally living with my sister, Mister Wyn. We’ll never be separated again,” Lisa says, her voice soft as she embraces her sister once more.

  “I’d get to see my parents again, eh, and I’d get to say thank you for all they’ve done for me. And I hope to help with their debt situation. I mean, even when money won’t be a big deal anymore after the war,” James replies, causing Mira to grab his hand.

  “I just want to see you guys happy, that’s all. It seems like all of you have been through a lot in life, scarred by it even. If this can bring peace and we can all live carefree, I’m for it,” Yu says earnestly.

  “Awww, Yu!” Mira exclaims, standing up and moving to hug him from behind.

  “I want to make this clear, I’m going to war because of you guys. I care for nothing else…,” Wyn answers, his tone unwavering.

  The whole team turns to Wyn, their expressions uncertain at first. But slowly, each of them begins to smile, understanding the depth of his words.

  “Whatever happens to any of us, make sure the rest keep on going,” Mira says.

  The team rises and heads back to the now-reopened slaughter maze. The memory of their battle against the Legion still sends chills down their spines, but they're proud of their victory – they were the first team to take it down after all. As they stand in front of the entrance, deciding not to enter, they recount the fight in detail together before finally returning to the temporary campsite in the Mystical Forest.

  “Still temporary? Someone is slacking off!” Wyn jokes.

  The team arrives in the once lively area, now eerily quiet – no creatures roaring, no cats in sight. Curious, they check the board and find that the number of creatures offering rides has been greatly reduced.

  When a flying stingray, called a stayring, emerges from a portal, they notice there’s no cat to guide them – only a poorly written set of instructions attached to the creature’s head, explaining how to control it. Without hesitation, Yu takes the helm, guiding them toward their destination with ease on the rather tame and friendly creature.

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  Upon reaching the Bouncy Floating Isles, Yu, in his usual playful manner, intentionally gets himself stuck in an endless bouncing loop. However, this time, he manages to get himself out with the help of his own water streams.

  “No cats again? How do we cross?” Wyn wonders aloud as the team reaches the sea.

  “Can we just take the ships? They’re still here,” James suggests.

  Without the hawkians, Wyn steers the ship toward the village. Once there, they sit around, ready to listen to some tunes, only to find that the singing cats option has been disabled. Instead, they chat with Karen, who provides them with an update: the Only Faith souls are no longer around, though she doesn’t know what happened to them.

  With nothing else to do, the team revisits the Twilight Forest briefly on an A3M.

  “Oh, Grandma Mildred. You poor haggy. I miss you already,” Mira says as they reach the area where they fought the millipede centipede.

  At James’ request, the team takes the A3M to the same fairy circle where they met him.

  “If you weren’t naked and I didn’t see how big your thing was, you’d probably be dead by now!” Mira teases.

  “I wish those assholes that left me there were dead! Man, can’t believe I forgot to ask for their statuses!” James grumbles.

  Before leaving the Dark Forest altogether, the team decides to visit the Luminous Glade to recount their first-ever battle against a champion – the foxhydra, which is now known as the foxymoron, thanks to Wyn.

  Back at the Abandoned City, at Catutu’s campsite, though without Catutu, they make their way to the campground.

  “That guy…he set his tent next to yours, remember, Mira? That’s how we met him. Insane to think about it,” Wyn remarks.

  “Yeah, and he took us to the sandbox playground where we had our first real fight!” Mira adds.

  “Then the museum…brrr! I almost died there!” Yu chimes in.

  “This is where they lose us, right, Mister James?” Lisa asks.

  “Yeah, but let them have their moments. They’ve been together for a very long time, eh,” James says.

  With Yu adamantly refusing to revisit the city center, unwilling to relive the memories of recruiting Christine, the team heads to the junkyard instead. They sit on

  “This is where we met David and his team…It’s unbelievable that we’re now officially friends with them,” Wyn says as they sit atop a pile of cars, watching carmits bathe peacefully in the moonlight.

  “Ruben’s and Isabella’s deaths will not be in vain!” Yu declares.

  Mutually understanding that Yu doesn’t want to revisit the Dojo, knowing that Christine is there, the team moves on to their final stop – the weather dome.

  As they all lie down, gazing at the stars, Wyn recalls how he and Yu met Mira on the Greed level.

  "I wish we could go back to those levels," Wyn murmurs.

  "I waited for you," Mira says. "And it was worth every second."

  "‘Waited’? Really? Should I tell James and Lisa where you ‘waited’ for us?" Yu teases.

  Mira responds with a gentle punch, smiling in the dim light. "Didn’t you 'partially' lose your virginity there, Yu?"

  "Let’s not ever talk about it!" Yu blushes.

  "And who can forget when Wyn took that nosedive to the floor? It was so...impressive," Mira adds with a laugh.

  Yu chuckles. "Those levels, man. We spent so much time on them, didn’t we, Wyn?"

  "Yeah," Wyn says. "We met right in front of Hell’s Gate. I remember not wanting to team up with anyone at first, but then you came begging."

  "‘Begging’? That’s an exaggeration!" Yu retorts.

  "You’ve got no proof! Anyway, we talked about how we didn’t want to team up with anyone else, and now here we are – starting with two, then seven, and now…just the five of us."

  The silence that follows feels heavy with the weight of all they’ve been through.

  "No regrets," Yu says finally.

  "No regrets," Wyn echoes, his gaze fixed on the sky above, staring at a group of flickering stars.

  “Sorry to end your romantic date here, but who do you think Big D would select to replace his divine buddy?” James cuts in, pulling the team’s attention away from their moment.

  The question causes the team to mumble among themselves, each voice offering a different opinion. After some back and forth, they come to the consensus that Steve or Wei will likely be chosen, though they all secretly hope David gets the role. What worries them more, however, is whether Steve and Wei will be able to work together now that they both know they’re fighting for such a significant role.

  As if to lighten the mood, the sky above them in the weather dome suddenly bursts into a breathtaking aurora, painting the space with waves of color. They watch in awe until the light show ends, then, without another word, they all rise, ready to move on.

  Determined to enjoy what little time they have left, they decide to head back to Wyn’s tent. Their intent is simple: to party hard and keep their spirits high until the counter-invasion begins.

  “Guys!” Mira announces, her voice cutting through the blasting music. “You never know what will happen up there, so I’m up for some ‘fun’! Oppa? Yu?”

  “I’m good, thanks!” Wyn replies. “Yu, car pay dee…uh, fuck it, seize the moment. Don’t think of her as your sister for a moment. You don’t wanna die a ‘partial’ virgin, right?”

  Yu’s face turns red, and he stammers nervously. “With Mira? Oh, nave! Oh, fur! Oh, gone! Oh, gift! Oh, yo! Oh, app!”

  Despite his hesitation, Yu finally gathers his courage, swallowing his nerves. He follows Mira to the second floor, leaving the rest of the team behind.

  “I’m next, okay?” James shouts over the music.

  “Wait! Guys! Wait! Not in my tent!” Wyn exclaims, but to no avail.

  In less than a minute, Yu returns, his face flushed red and hyperventilating. He gives James a quick nod, proudly confirming that no one can ever call him a virgin anymore. But in an unexpected twist, James groans, losing the bet and transferring to Wyn a stash of catnips. Annoyed, he calls Mira down for the party, his appetite for his turn with her now gone.

  The group gathers around the karaoke machine Anish had purchased, singing their hearts out. This time, Wyn takes the spotlight, belting out metal songs while dancing with surprising energy.

  “Let’s go to the end together! All of us! Let’s kill some blackheads!” Wyn shouts.

  And with that, they keep partying. Surrounded by their friends, each laugh and cheer fills the space, letting them forget – just for a while – what they’ve endured and the tough battles that await. In this moment, they are together, united and stronger than they were before. And in that moment, that's all that matters.