The black-haired beauty was a Reaper Banshee.

Ren checked the Reaper's stats and found that there was nothing for him to worry about. If anything, Evie's cute little tantrum was harder to deal with.

Until now, she was still stomping on his boots and refused to meet his gaze. It seemed like she was pretending not to know that her heels were drilling against his shoes.

Ren thought that his girlfriend was really endearing. She was so adorable that he accidentally guilt-tripped himself into thinking that it was his fault that she was jealous.

There was really nothing she should worry about. In this life and in the next, he would be loyal to her.

Ren always spoke with action not words and immediately burned the banshee with a swipe of his scepter. Hopefully, Evie saw that he wasn't the least bit blinded by beautiful looks nor the allure of flesh.

The Reaper Banshee's shrieks and screams pierced the room, attracting the slumbering vampires and monsters in the area.

When peace was restored in a few seconds, a cheeky grin formed on Ren's lips as he stared at Evie.

"Now, can you stop stomping on my boots?"

Without a word, Evie walked ahead, and Ren stifled a laugh. She was still acting like she didn't know what he was talking about.

Ren really thought that Evie wasn't the jealous type and that she mostly kept her emotions to herself. But who would've known that she was very expressive?

Not that he was complaining.

He loved that she was showing more of her side to him, and he fell for her, even more the more he got to know her other side good or bad.

Ren jogged to Evie and took hold of her hand without a word. Though she was still ignoring him, she didn't pull her fingers from his.

"So, do you really want to split up?" Ren asked as they walked through the hallways towards the next room.

Evie shrugged. "I just wanted to make things efficient and easy for you," she said, but it sounded so much different than before. It seemed like she was trying to convince herself.

Ren hid his smile behind his fist.

"It's okay. You don't have to force yourself. I like it that we're exploring together," he told her gently. "Let's just take our time and explore this server. After all, this only comes once a year."

Evie looked up at Ren and smiled. "Okay."

Ren felt Evie's mood brighten and knew that he had replied with the correct answer.

However, their romantic moment was disrupted by shrieks and cries that followed them through the corridors.

Looking back, they saw players running in their direction and even went passed them without sparing them any attention, as if they were invisible.

When the couple look beyond, they saw dozens of vampires and monsters, even souls, chasing after the players like there was no tomorrow.

Ren was in a good mood, and without even flinching and thinking, he threw a series of fires in that direction before the monsters could come even an inch in their direction.

The fire was so hot it made the whole corridor feel like it had been filled with gas and lit up. In the narrow path, the flame pushed through until twenty meters into the back.

The vampires and monsters stood no chance, while the ghosts screamed their last and disappeared without a trace.

There were other players caught in the fire too, but Ren didn't care about them and resumed walking onward as if nothing had happened.

At the side, the players' jaws dropped at the overwhelming damage that Ren ditched with a seemingly simple spell.

They knew that he was strong, but watching him felt surreal.

No one even complained when some of their members were caught on fire. They didn't blame Ren one bit, fearing that they'd die if they let out even a single complaint.

Besides, Ren saved them in the end . . . somewhat.

When Ren and Evie moved forward, the other players made a path without thinking.

Ignoring the others, Ren and Evie went to the next area.

They stumbled upon a wide hall where beings in cloaks whispered strange language in the middle of the crumbling towers of the hall.

In the isolated depression where dark pools have formed, groups of disfigured people were seen worshipping makeshift shrines.

They saw lost souls were dragged into thick liquids and emerged mutated screaming of distance curses, changed beings who fell in fervent prayer before the bone altars, gnawing on the flesh of those who resist.

"W-what . . . What is this?" Evie stuttered, voice shaking with excitement while her eyes sparkled behind her mask.

Ren checked the map. "It said here that we're in an altar area."

There were souls scattered in this hall as well, and some of them had quests to offer.

While the creatures were busy with their chanting, the ghost of a noble begs for Ren's help. He had been cursed but wouldn't say how.

His soul had been separated from his body, and his body had become one of those mindless monsters on the altar, and his body would rot more and more until his soul was restored.

Ren ignored the ghost, though, and proceeded to check for the things that were scattered across the hall.

"Let's ignore them," he said. "Let's check around the area, but be careful not to disturb those creatures worshipping the altar."

Evie nodded, but she proceeded to watch the rituals instead.

Ren stifled a laugh while shaking his head. He left her alone and looked around for any sign of treasure chests.

When the other group of players entered the same area, they were stunned by what they saw. Some even almost screamed upon the sight of the hideous faces of the creatures on the altar if it weren't for their companions' timely shoving their hands against their mouths to stop them from screaming.

Anyone with a brain would know that the creatures on the altar shouldn't be disturbed, or they would turn their attention against them.

( . . . continuation on NOTES)