The castle secrets

As they continued their journey, Kevin's curiosity was piqued. He turned to Zoey, "After Peak and Lagoon, what comes next?"

Zoey took a moment, recalling the game's structure. "Next, we head to the Cargo Cart Village. It's not too far from here, but it's a tricky place with many hidden dangers. After that, we move on to the Endless Castle, which is the semi-final part of the game. That's where things get really tough. And then, finally, we make our way to the Final Boss Kingdom, where we'll face the ultimate challenge—the final boss."

Kevin nodded, processing the information. "We better be ready for anything," he said with determination, his eyes narrowing as he thought about the challenges ahead. They couldn't afford any mistakes; the stakes were too high.

Emily, who had been silent for a while, suddenly looked up, her eyes wide. "Hey guys, look at this!" She pointed to a notification that had just appeared before them, her voice tinged with excitement and a bit of nervousness.

**New Mission: Physical Inner Strength**

*Use physical training to level up. Even leveling up to Level 1 is acceptable. Failure to do so will result in a life loss.*

Kevin squinted at the notification. "The last time we did something like this, it didn't affect me at all," he said, recalling how he had been unaffected by a previous physical challenge.

Zoey shook her head, her expression serious. "No, I think this one might be different. The game doesn't fully recognize you, but sometimes it does. Remember, you still have four lives because of that encounter with the lion. If the game didn't recognize you at all, you wouldn't have lost a life back then."

Kevin fell silent, thinking back to that moment. Losing a life had been a harrowing experience, far worse than he had imagined. The respawn process had felt like an eternity—time seemed to stretch endlessly, making those 13 seconds feel like hours. He didn't want to go through that again, not if he could help it.

"Anyway," Kevin said, trying to shake off the uneasy feeling, "I've been meaning to level up. I'm still at Level 5, and I need to catch up."

With that, the group began their training. Emily, who wasn't the most physically inclined, managed only five sit-ups before she stopped, her face flushed with exertion. To her surprise, despite the minimal effort, she leveled up to 26.

Zoey, more determined, pushed herself hard. She managed 100 sit-ups before her body began to protest. Her fatigue level spiked to 59%, and she had to stop to rest, but her efforts paid off, and she leveled up to 20.

Kevin, however, was on a mission. He removed his upper clothes, revealing a lean but muscular physique that showed he had been through his fair share of physical challenges. He dropped to the ground and started his sit-ups, his face set in determination.

Zoey, noticing the beads of sweat forming on Kevin's brow, called out, "Kevin, isn't your fatigue high? And you're still pushing through?"

Kevin didn't stop, his focus unwavering. "I've played physical fitness VR games before," he said between breaths, his voice steady despite the effort. "I remember that working out without your clothes on reduces fatigue slightly. It's a trick I picked up along the way."

Zoey watched him for a moment, a mix of admiration and concern in her eyes. Despite the trick, Kevin's fatigue level kept climbing. It reached 90% before his body finally gave out, and he collapsed onto the ground, breathing heavily. But as he lay there, exhausted, a notification appeared before him.

**Mission Accomplished: 2 New Skills for Each Player.**

Emily, still catching her breath, looked at her notification and grinned. "Wow, nice," she said, pleased with herself for gaining two new skills with so little effort.

Zoey, however, wasn't as impressed. "Wait, how come you have two new skills? You barely participated," she questioned, her brow furrowed in confusion.

Emily shrugged nonchalantly. "I leveled up with just one level," she said with a smirk, clearly pleased with herself.

"But you only did five sit-ups," Zoey pointed out, shaking her head in disbelief.

Kevin, who had been staring at his own notification, suddenly spoke up. "Hey guys..." he said, his voice carrying a note of puzzlement.

"What?" they both responded, turning to him.

"I didn't get any new skills," Kevin said, his brow furrowed in confusion. Despite leveling up to 30, the notification hadn't granted him any new abilities.

The group exchanged glances, a silent understanding passing between them. Something about Kevin's connection to the game was still off, and it was becoming increasingly clear that he wasn't playing by the same rules as everyone else.

Pushing the thought aside for now, they continued on their journey until they reached the abandoned castle. The castle loomed before them, its dark silhouette outlined against the evening sky. As they stepped inside, they were greeted by a sight they hadn't expected. The castle's interior, though aged and crumbling in places, was filled with life. The walls were draped in thick vines, with flowers blooming from every crevice. Luminescent bugs flitted around, their glowing wings casting a soft, ethereal light that bathed the entire space in a warm glow. It was a stark contrast to the castle's ominous exterior—inside, it was hauntingly beautiful.

"Wow, it's beautiful," Zoey whispered, her voice filled with awe as she took in the sight.

Emily, ever the jokester, couldn't resist a quip. "If roses are red and violets are blue, if this place is so beautiful, what happened to you?" she teased, flashing a mischievous grin at Zoey.

Zoey rolled her eyes but couldn't help but smile back. "Don't provoke me, you five-sit-up lazy girl," she shot back, her tone playful despite the underlying edge.

As they bickered, Kevin suddenly received a notification that made him stop in his tracks.

**New Skill Unlocked: Kakze's Error—Sensory Movements Activated.**

He was about to mention it to the others, but they were too engrossed in their argument to pay him any mind. Kevin's senses suddenly sharpened—his new skill was already in effect. He could hear everything: the bugs buzzing, the wind rustling through the leaves outside, and most importantly, the soft but distinct sound of footsteps. Someone was following them.

"Hey guys..." Kevin tried again, this time with more urgency in his voice.

"Huh?" Zoey responded, finally turning to him.

"We're being followed," Kevin said, his voice low but firm.

Zoey and Emily's playful banter immediately ceased, their expressions turning serious. "What?" Zoey asked, her eyes scanning the room.

"Who could it be?" Emily wondered aloud, her hand instinctively moving toward her weapon.

"Reveal yourself!" Kevin demanded, turning toward the sound of the footsteps.

From the shadows, a figure emerged. The person was cloaked, his face obscured by the deep hood that cast a shadow over his features. The figure stepped forward, and as he did, the light from the glowing bugs illuminated his form. The figure slowly reached up and pulled back the hood, revealing his face.

Kevin's eyes widened in recognition. "You're..." he began, his voice trailing off as he took in the sight before him.

The boy standing before them was striking. His eyes gleamed with a radiant golden hue, almost as if he held the sun itself within himself. His skin had a slight, almost imperceptible glow, like he was permanently touched by sunlight, giving him an otherworldly appearance. His hair was a blazing mix of golden and auburn hues, falling in soft waves around his face, catching the light and making him seem like a living embodiment of the sun. He wore light armor, intricately engraved with sun motifs that shimmered with a faint, warm glow. Draped over his shoulders was a long cloak, its fabric absorbing the surrounding light, making him both a beacon and a shadow in one.

"Who is he?" Emily asked, her voice filled with both curiosity and caution.

"Yeah, who is he?" Zoey echoed, her eyes narrowing as she assessed the newcomer.

Kevin took a deep breath, his mind racing as he tried to process the situation. "He's the guy with the Sun Skill," he finally said, his voice tinged with both recognition and apprehension. "He's the missing player among us."

The boy with the Sun Skill stood silent, his golden eyes reflecting the soft glow of the bugs around them. His presence was both comforting and unsettling, a reminder that in this world, nothing was quite as it seemed. The group exchanged uneasy glances, each of them silently acknowledging that their journey had just taken another unexpected turn.