Megan darts across the battlefield, skillfully evading the vine zombie's relentless attacks while calling out to her, trying to reach her with her words. "Do you remember me from our fight?" she asks, hoping for a glimmer of recognition. But the vine zombie remains silent, coldly determined as she unleashes waves of her magic, lashing out with vines that snakes toward Megan.
Blocking the onslaught, Megan feels the force of each blow; the vines leave deep cuts on her arms, and a particularly fierce strike sends her hurtling across the battlefield. She stands, bloodied and bruised, then calls out with renewed intensity, "I know you already made your choice! But think it over—was he really worth it? All the bad times you had with him out weight the few good moments you guys had...."
The vine zombie roars, a fury igniting within her as she raises her vines to summon a massive, pulsating flower. The flower's center glows ominously before it releases a powerful energy blast aimed straight at Megan. With no time to lose, Megan gathers her strength, calling on her light magic as she shouts, "Shining Star!" A fading brilliant aura envelops her, flickering with light. The energy blast strikes her full force, erupting in a massive explosion that shakes the battlefield.
Meanwhile, Mai steps closer to the magic bubble encasing the slumbering Rune, memories flooding back from a night spent camping when Simbad had recounted Rune's story. She recalls her notes about the long story telling, her mind sharpening with resolve as she faces Simbad. "You were never here to save Rune," she declares. "It was Master Ryuga who saved him from his long slumber."
Simbad's face pales, and he stammers, "I... I don't know what you're talking about. We need to hurry and save him!" But Mai, unwavering, summons the lingering magic in her hand, manifesting two buttons: one labeled "Kill" and the other "Save." She takes a deep breath, leveling her gaze at the imposter. "You're not really Simbad," she says, pressing the "Kill" button.
The false Simbad screams, his form unraveling into sparks of magic before vanishing. The cave around her shifts, warping into New Berry Town, where she now stands in front of the abandoned apartment complex. There, Simon looms with his shadow magic, his presence foreboding. He seizes her with a giant shadowy hand and sneers, "Only I deserve you."
Lightning suddenly strikes, forcing him to release her. Mai turns to see Michael standing ready, and beside him, a version of Simbad dressed in Frank's clothes, clutching a shotgun. "I'm here to save my love, Mai!" he declares, striking a ridiculous pose.
Mai can barely contain her disgust, rolling her eyes. "This is beyond ridiculous," she mutters. Without hesitation, she summons the "Kill" button again and presses it. Her surroundings shimmer, dissolving into magical dust, and when the haze clears, she finds herself back in familiar Old Berry Town.
Mai hears a chorus of footsteps approaching and watches as a crowd begins to gather. Curiosity piqued, she follows them to the center of attention, where everyone is kneeling before a massive, glowing stone. As she steps closer, she notices the desperate expressions on their faces as they pray. Undeterred, she pushes through the crowd and reaches out, touching the surface of the stone.
It cracks open, and with a dramatic burst, Simbad emerges, striking a heroic pose. "Your savior is here to rescue you from the Riders!" he proclaims, his voice booming. The crowd erupts in ecstatic cheers, praising him as if he were a true hero. Mai stifles a laugh, feeling the absurdity of it all, and, without hesitation, presses the kill button. Cries of pain echo as the crowd and Simbad disintegrate into shimmering magic.
As time passes, Mai is forced through a relentless parade of similar illusions, each one casting Simbad as the central hero of exaggerated scenes. In one, he leads a fearless charge; in another, he performs impossible feats with ease. But Mai sees through each farce. With a weary but unbroken spirit, she presses the kill button again and again, dissolving every fake Simbad with little patience.
The endless cycle of illusions is tiring, but Mai refuses to let these fake Simbad wear her down, her determination growing sharper with each press of the button.
Meanwhile, on the battlefield, Megan struggles to her feet, flickers of bright white magic swirling around her battered form. She coughs up blood but holds steady as more of her magic warps the space around her. A radiant white tattoo in the shape of a wing materializes on her back, glimmering with intensity. With a defiant shout, Megan unleashes a surge of white aura from within, shaking the entire realm and causing the sky to fracture with cracks of light. She steadies her gaze on the vine zombie and declares, "I helped you break free from the chains your husband cast on you because I thought we were the same. I believed someone like you deserved a second chance."
The vine zombie freezes, a flicker of memory sparking in its darkened eyes. It recalls Megan reaching out to her, her hand extended through the vines, trying to save her during the time when her husband was punishing her. Slowly, the vine zombie lowers her guard, approaching Megan with a halting, uncertain gait. She wraps her arms around Megan in a wordless embrace as Megan's white magic fades.
In a voice choked with gratitude, the vine zombie whispers, "Thank you… for freeing me. When you broke those chains, I decided to still be with him again, because my love for him was too great and I thought that'll be the end of it. But then… that clown came." A vision flashes in Megan's mind as she peers into the vine zombie's eyes, catching glimpses of the past. She sees Joker breaking down the seal on the flower tree as he brutally strikes down the vine zombie's husband, sealing her within a magic card, and saying, "You'll serve a better purpose with me."
Tears gather in the vine zombie's eyes as she stammers apologies. "I forgot… almost forgot my husband is gone. The clown… he clouded my mind, twisted it... saying that he'll bring him back..."
Suddenly, Joker's sneering voice pierces the moment, and he extends his hand, pulling the vine zombie back with his magic. "So, you two have met," he smirks, "but that changes nothing. The Beta demands to see your strength, so prove it!" With a snap, he conjures a clown mask and affixes it to the vine zombie's face. Instantly, she becomes a puppet once more, her vines reanimating under Joker's control.
The vine zombie lunges at Megan, her movements jerky but forceful. Megan leaps aside, dodging the onslaught of vines as she shouts, "After everything she's endured, you're really going to make her suffer again?!"
A surge of white aura erupts from Megan, startling Joker as she engages the vine zombie with renewed determination. Her heart aches for the creature before her, but she knows she has to press on, fighting not just for herself, but for the freedom of the vine zombie too.
Meanwhile, Mai presses the "kill" button once more, and the realm shifts around her, transforming into a vast dojo. In the center, a younger Simbad is training, his body toned and muscled out, focused as he swings a wooden katana with fierce determination. With each strike, he releases an emotional shout, his movements filled with purpose and a bit of saddness.
After finishing his practice, Simbad heads out, his expression softening as he approaches a nearby graveyard. There, he spots a younger Rune on his knees, grief evident in his posture. Noticing his friend's sorrow, Simbad walks over with a big, encouraging smile, then strikes a comically strong pose. "Remember, during bad times she always said to be strong! So I'll be strong!" he declares with an exaggerated confidence.
Rune looks up, surprised by Simbad's display, but a smile breaks through his sadness as he takes in Simbad's absurd yet endearing attempt to cheer him up.
As Mai watches this moment unfold, she recalls a memory of Simbad showing her a sketch he'd made of himself in his "peak strength" days. The drawing had captured this exact scene: a younger Simbad striking that same strong pose for Rune, a memory they had both laughed over together.
Without hesitation, Mai presses the "save" button. The graveyard and the dojo fades, leaving only the younger Simbad, who turns to her with a soft, knowing look. "I'm glad you remembered," he says warmly, then vanishes in a glimmer of light.
In that moment, a giant balloon appears, floating above Mai. With a loud pop, it bursts, and the real Simbad drops down in front of her, blinking in confusion. He takes a quick look around, clearly unsure of what's going on. "Uh… Mai? What… is all this?"
Mai doesn't answer with words. Instead, she steps forward and wraps him in a tight hug, holding onto him with visible relief. "I'm just… glad you're safe," she murmurs, feeling the weight of her journey lift as she embraces him.
As Megan battles the vine zombie, they clash fiercely, waves of magic filling the air with each strike. Amid the intense exchange, Megan hears a faint voice coming from the vine zombie. "We're the same… my husband is dead now. If you're anything like me, you understand that there's only one way this ends."
Megan's eyes widen as she realizes what the vine zombie means. The words hit her deeply—if Sam were gone, perhaps she would feel the same. Sorrow fills her, but she steadies herself, summoning her resolve. Channeling her light magic, she forms a colossal spear of radiance, hurling it across the battlefield. It slices through the vines, uproots the massive flower trees, and strikes the vine zombie directly in the chest, detonating in a burst of white light.
As the vine zombie's form begins to fade, Megan watches with tears welling in her eyes. The vine zombie's lips move in silence, forming the words, "Thank you." Slowly, her figure dissolves entirely, consumed by the brilliant light of the explosion.
A slow clap interrupts the silence. Joker appears, applauding with an amused grin. "Well, well, well," he says, "new players of Beta's board game aren't supposed to be able to wield their magic right away, that they must earn it. Not unless they're returning players or part of the god pack." Joker taps his chin thoughtfully, examining Megan with a renewed interest. "And yet… I don't recall ever seeing you in any god packs. Beta also doesn't recognizes you as a previous player."
Without a word, Megan lunges at him, light still flickering around her. Joker dodges effortlessly, sidestepping her attacks while looking at her with intrigue. "You know," he says, smiling wickedly, "curiosity can really kill when you try to overthink. But I must say, Beta and I are quite impressed. Whoever you are… you're something special. I'm very curious to see how you'll grow from this."
Before Megan can strike again, magic swirls around her, and she vanishes, leaving Joker alone with a satisfied smirk.
Megan reappears on the board, greeted by relieved looks from Nakao and Jean. Moments later, Mai materializes on her platform, and shimmering words form in the air: "A NEW PLAYER HAS JOINED." Suddenly, Simbad appears next to Mai, giving her a nod. "Mai's already filled me in on what's going on," he says, taking in the strange, dark realm of the board game. "Let's tackle this together and win it!"
Meanwhile, Megan's aura of white magic continues to pulse, illuminating the surrounding darkness. Her magic radiates outward, casting a glow that seems to stretch through the shadows, and new words appear for everyone to see: "THE PRIVILEGED ONE."
As her light brightens, it reveals more of the board's platforms—dozens upon dozens of platforms extending far into the lighten up darkness, hundreds in total, each marked by unknown challenges. They can now see that their journey is far from over, the path to the end stretching beyond what they could have anticipated.
Megan drops to one knee as her white magic fades, leaving her visibly drained. Mai questions her, concern in her eyes. "Are you okay?"
Megan nods, though her breathing is unsteady. "We need to keep going. If we finish the board game, we can save the others."
Suddenly, a pair of dice appears in Simbad's palm. He rolls them, revealing a 9. Stepping forward, he moves across the platforms, stopping on the ninth. The platform glows gold, and the words "LUCKY LUCKY!" materialize in the air as a magic slot machine appears before him. Simbad grabs the handle and pulls, watching intently as each slot stops on a number—5…10…8. In an instant, magic surrounds him, whisking him far ahead, passing countless platforms until he lands on one that lights up with the word "CHANCE."
A card deck materializes, floating before him. He pulls a card from the top, reading aloud, "If you are able to endure a strike from the strongest version of yourself for 30 seconds, then you shall be rewarded with your powers and weapon."
Taking a deep breath, Simbad steadies himself as a younger, muscled version of himself appears before him, radiating in magic power. Simbad raises his arms defensively. "I can take it. If I fall here, then maybe I was never meant to regain my primal strength."
The younger Simbad clenches his fist, gathering magic until it radiates with energy. With a mighty swing, he drives his fist directly into Simbad's chest. The force of the punch reverberates through him, the impact tearing through him as he stumbles, clutching the massive hole in his chest. Blood pools around him as he collapses onto the platform, coughing and gasping for breath.
"It's... fine," he chokes out, his voice ragged. A timer appears overhead, counting down from 30 seconds. Mai's voice rings out in desperation. "Hang in there, Simbad!"
Through blurred vision, Simbad focuses on the timer as it ticks down, the numbers seemingly dragging on painfully slowly. His vision darkens, and the cheers of his friends begin to distort. At 22 seconds, he coughs again, each breath agonizing, but he digs deep, determined to hold on.
As Simbad's eyes flutter shut, he hears a voice echoing in his mind: "Remember, during bad times like this, you always have to be strong! So be strong, Simbad!"
Suddenly, he jolts back to consciousness, glancing up to see the timer ticking down to 12 seconds. His fingers twitch as he whispers, "Be strong... have to be strong..." Slowly, he begins to rise, each movement fueled by the cheers of his friends. Blood continues to drip from his chest, but he lifts his head defiantly, yelling, "I'm strong!!!!"
The timer hits zero, and the air is filled with triumphant cheers as magic envelops Simbad, healing the wound in his chest. He feels his magic surge back to life, and in front of him, his katana materializes, gleaming with renewed power. Gripping the weapon tightly, he declares, "I'm determined to be strong, just like I was before!"
Suddenly, a wave of magic sweeps across the realm, and words appear in the air: "END TURN PHASE." In an instant, everyone finds themselves transported to a giant dinner table, perched on a plate. A massive monster looms over them, seated in a giant chair, brandishing an enormous fork and spoon as if ready to devour them.
With uncertainty gripping the air, everyone prepares for battle, adrenaline pumping as they face the formidable foe that looms before them.