AFTERWORD

Chapter 67

Chapter 63

Overview

Carl finishes obtaining a debt-backed enchanted ring from the Temple of Emberus just as a major combat encounter erupts involving Quan Ch and multiple factions. The fight quickly turns disastrous when Quan uses Force Play cards to force Carl's squad to discard their Flee cards, causing them to lose both sets of dungeon keys to him. Quan immediately flees toward the exit to complete the dungeon.

Summary

Set several days prior, Carl visits an enchantments shop in Club Vanquisher to purchase a special ring from a satyr jeweler and cleric Pater Coal. To afford the million-gold ring, Carl takes an interest-free loan from the Temple of Emberus for 990,000 gold, trading in his original strength ring as collateral. The new ring—disguised as a strength ring but actually an Enchanted Pauper's Ring of the Steadfast Emberus—will help remove debuff effects but comes with warnings about debt, curses for non-worshippers, and restrictions on leaving the church. Carl immediately regrets the decision upon learning the terms. The narrative then shifts to a major combat encounter where Carl's squad faces off against Quan Ch, Sister Ines's Team Quiteria, and numerous zombie creatures (seals, crabs, fish) controlled by demons. Quan arrives as an invisible sneak attacker at level 70. The battle quickly becomes chaotic with multiple combatants being pulled into demon portals. Sister Ines summons Paz as a totem, while Donut summons Geraldo the Monk Seal. Carl uses Protective Shell to clear nearby mobs and positions Lazarus-a-Bang-Bang with a rocket launcher. However, Quan demonstrates superior card strategy by using a mystic card that lets him see both Donut's and Sister Ines's hands. He then plays Force Play twice in succession—first forcing Sister Ines to play her Flee card (eliminating Team Quiteria from combat), then forcing Donut to play three Flee cards from her rearranged hand. This causes Carl's squad to lose both sets of dungeon keys to Quan. Combat ends immediately, and the squad is teleported to dark swampy woods. Carl realizes Quan is heading straight for the exit with both keys and frantically messages allies Imani and Ren (Tserendolgor) stationed near the exits, warning them that Quan is infected with slugs from Carl's Super Spreader spell and will worsen with time. As red dots (duendes) surround them in the forest, Carl instructs Donut to rebuild her deck and initiate combat with the surrounding creatures to buy time.

Characters

  • CarlProtagonist who obtains an enchanted ring through church debt, then loses a critical combat encounter to Quan Ch and must coordinate with allies to stop Quan from escaping with the dungeon keys
  • Pater CoalCleric who arranges the interest-free loan from the Temple of Emberus for Carl's enchanted ring purchase
  • Satyr jewelerJeweler in Club Vanquisher who enchants Carl's ring and processes the church loan
  • Mantaur guardGuard who attempts to enforce the one-visit-per-day shop rule by banging on the shop door
  • Quan ChLevel 70 deckmaster who launches a sneak attack during combat, uses Force Play cards to steal both sets of dungeon keys, and flees toward the exit
  • KevinCommentator who observes and mocks the combat encounter alongside Troy
  • TroyCommentator who watches the combat and laughs at Quan's misfortune from earlier
  • DonutCarl's ally and deckmaster whose Flee cards are forced into play by Quan, causing the squad to lose the keys
  • Sister InesLeader of Team Quiteria who summons Paz as a totem but is forced to play her Flee card and eliminated from combat by Quan's Force Play
  • NizzleDemon crab frozen by a snare trap whom Carl defeats with Talon Strike
  • SamanthaAlly who becomes trapped in combat, helps clear mobs with Protective Shell, and is assigned to pursue Quan
  • PazArmored totem summoned by Sister Ines who is killed by the giant snake boss and begs Sister Ines to stop
  • MongoDinosaur ally who protects Donut and fights zombie creatures during the battle
  • Hoan KiemLevel 25 soft-shelled turtle totem summoned by Quan that falls into a group of zombie fish
  • GeraldoMonk seal totem summoned by Donut who enthusiastically charges into combat despite Donut's objections
  • Lazarus-a-Bang-BangRobed totem given a rocket launcher by Donut who fires at the snake boss and turtle
  • ImaniAlly stationed at an exit who receives Carl's warning and agrees to stop Quan
  • Ren (Tserendolgor)Ally from the Cuba area stationed at an exit who promises to be ready to intercept Quan
  • Boss snakeGiant monster that bucks, fights combatants, and attempts to attack Carl after other enemies are cleared