Saland and Haytham, despite their grievous wounds, hauled themselves to their feet. Haytham let out a breath, "Well, looks like our mission's done. That was a real grind; that glitch was seriously tough."
Sylene's gaze flickered between them, a hint of confusion in her eyes. "You saved me... but why did you even come to find me?"
Saland offered a weary smile. "The Supreme Admin wants you back in the fold. Needs your expertise to forge a special weapon, likely our only shot at taking down these glitches for good."
Sylene's brow furrowed in thought. "You fought so fiercely to rescue me… Very well. I'll come with you and help create this weapon. If even the Supreme Admin struggles with it, then it must be of paramount importance."
And so, their weary heroes began their trek back. An hour later, the familiar sights of Valley came into view. Sting, leaning against a building, offered a curt nod. "Next time we cross paths, I'll be stronger!" With a determined glint in his eyes, he turned and disappeared into the town.
Our heroes continued on, bringing Sylene to the anti-glitch group's operational base. Anty's provided artifact shimmered, tearing open a portal that swallowed the trio, depositing them safely within the base.
Anty stood waiting, a knowing look on her face. "Welcome back, you two. Looks like the mission was a success. Given your injuries, head to my lab first. Get yourselves patched up. Sylene and I have some private matters to discuss afterward."
Saland and Haytham nodded, heading towards the indicated lab. Sylene turned to Anty, a question in her voice. "So, you're my replacement?"
Anty's gaze was steady. "Let's just say... a temporary custodian. The Supreme Admin wants you back specifically because he envisions a weapon capable of sealing the System Bug permanently. That's the source, the place where all glitches are born and where they return even after being defeated."
Sylene's expression darkened. "I know the System Bug well. But sealing it… that would require a massive military undertaking. We admins aren't ready for that kind of war yet."
"You're right," Anty conceded. "But for now, our focus must be the primordial glitch. The System Bug comes later. Sylene, all I ask is for your help in creating this weapon before the final confrontation with the glitches."
A resolute nod settled on Sylene's face. "Very well. I accept." The two admins clasped hands, a silent agreement sealing their alliance as the countdown to the battle against the primordial glitch ticked onward.
A month of grueling training pushed our four heroes to their absolute limits, their latent powers finally unlocked. With only a single day remaining before the decisive clash, the four admins unveiled their final preparation: a fifth island. Larger than the previous four, it floated serenely at the very center. A colossal staircase spiraled upwards, and our heroes ascended, their footsteps echoing in the still air until they reached the summit.
A gasp escaped their lips. The entire island was a vast, open-air conference hall. Rows upon rows of pristine white chairs faced a raised black lectern, behind which loomed a massive white monitor. In the front row, only our four heroes sat, their gazes fixed on Stenly, Anty, Kyofei, and Georg, who stood before them.
Anty's voice resonated across the silent space. "Welcome to the strategic meeting for the final battle. First and foremost, we must introduce the three individuals we've personally selected to aid us in this arduous fight. Please, come forward."
From behind them, three figures emerged: Ken, Sting, and Rick. They took seats near our heroes, a mix of determination and apprehension on their faces.
Saland couldn't contain his surprise. "What are you three doing here?"
Sting's eyes held a fierce intensity. "That woman told us there was a major showdown, that she needed allies. We agreed to lend our strength. To fight those damn glitches? I'll do anything. Especially after that humiliating defeat against that Yardrach!"
Anty's gaze softened slightly. "I know they might not possess your level of power, but you've worked together before. I believe your synergy will be invaluable. And don't underestimate them; they're stronger than they let on."
Kyofei's voice cut through the air, serious and focused. "Now, let's get down to business. Our anti-glitch team has pinpointed a potential gateway to the realm of glitches. It's a subterranean domain beneath the VR WORLD, utterly corrupted. It's so vast that no admin has ever managed to navigate its depths and return. The entrance to this underground realm lies within the dark forest, northwest of Valley."
Stenly stepped forward. "We've also detected three potent energy signatures, likely belonging to three exceptionally powerful glitches. We've analyzed their auras and identified our targets. All three are currently in the upper levels of the glitch realm, probably anticipating our move."
Georg added his piece to the grim briefing. "Our adversaries will be Null, Ryloc, and after extensive research, we've confirmed the presence of a primordial glitch named Tarvaror. We don't know the full extent of his power, but we know he won't be an easy foe to overcome."
Anty laid out their strategy. "We've formed three teams to confront these threats. The first team will be Haytham, Sting, Ken, and Rick. The second team will be Saland, Christy, and Shimmon. And the final team, our anti-glitch core, will be Kyofei, Georg, and myself. Team one will face Ryloc, team two will engage Null, and we will confront the primordial glitch. That's the plan. Now, either continue your training or ask any questions you may have."
Christy's hand shot up. "How will we split up immediately upon entering enemy territory? And how will we locate our specific opponents?"
Anty offered a reassuring smile. "Sylene has been working on a device. It will teleport each team directly to their designated adversary. We'll distribute them tomorrow." With those words, the tension in the open-air conference hall remained thick as everyone dispersed, the weight of the impending battle settling heavily upon them as they returned to their final preparations.