Chapter 113: Sunflower, Why Are You a Size Bigger?

Chapter 113: Chapter 113: Sunflower, Why Are You a Size Bigger?

Seraphina Sinclair: "..."

Seraphina Sinclair listened blankly to the system’s jumbled, nonsensical ad—one with too many absurdities to even begin critiquing. She could only conclude that The Black Mist World’s system either had a virus or was a complete schizophrenic.

’This is just a roadside scam ad!’

’They make it sound incredible, but once you’re actually inside, you realize the reality not matching the description is the least of your problems.’

Seraphina Sinclair did a final check of the supplies in her Silver Moon Earrings. The runes were sorted by category, the Potions were within easy reach, and her weapon was adjusted to its most accessible position. Once everything was done, she quietly waited for the instance countdown on the page to end.

The moment the countdown hit zero, the air in the center of Seraphina Sinclair’s room began to distort.

An oval Lightgate, its edges flickering with a dim purple glow and its interior swirling with chaos, silently appeared. It emanated a cold, pulling force that felt utterly out of place.

’The gate’s color is different from last time. It’s probably because the instance is different.’

Seraphina Sinclair glanced at the Sunflower. Its inner voice had been constantly saying things like, ’I want to go in with my person!’ But this was a team instance. If someone had malicious intent and decided to attack her Sunflower instead of her...

’That would put me at a huge disadvantage.’

She really didn’t want to take it.

So, she decisively stepped through the gate by herself. A line of text immediately popped up before her.

[Please bring your Sunflower.]

’Great. Looks like I have no choice.’

Seraphina Sinclair sighed, resigned to her fate. She walked over and picked up the whole thing, pot and all.

The pot was rather large and cumbersome to hold. If her Silver Moon Earrings could store living things, she would have shoved this noisy brat right inside.

She took a deep breath and stepped into the Lightgate.

The familiar feeling of weightlessness and dizziness washed over her, but it was much milder than during the last novice instance and lasted for a shorter time.

In what felt like the blink of an eye, her feet found solid ground, and the scene around her had completely changed.

A cold, damp air instantly enveloped her, carrying the stench of stale dust and the faint, elusive smell of rust. The light was extremely dim. Only a few slivers of pale, weak light, seeping in from some unknown source, barely managed to outline a vast yet oppressive space.

’No waiting area this time. It looks like we’ve been dropped directly into the instance.’

Seraphina Sinclair found herself standing in what appeared to be a massive foyer. Beneath her feet were heavily worn, dark stone tiles, their chill seeping through the soles of her shoes.

She looked up. Directly ahead was a pair of huge, heavy wooden doors, carved with intricate yet faded patterns. The metal door knockers were covered in rust. Tall stone pillars flanked the foyer, stretching upward and disappearing into the deep darkness above.

To her left and right were wide corridors, equally dark and leading to unknown destinations. A massive, winding staircase was faintly visible behind her, its banister thick with dust.

But what drew the most attention were the four other figures scattered around the foyer.

Including her, there were exactly five people. The system had said it would be a random match of 4-6 people, so it seemed they were a team of five this time.

Closest to her was a small, thin figure in a slightly oversized black hoodie. Their hood was up, obscuring their face. They were quietly fiddling with the Sunflower in their arms.

A little farther away, a tall, burly, bald man in a leather vest with bulging muscles was sharply scanning the others. His gaze was openly scrutinizing, and he radiated an unapproachable aura.

A heavy cleaver was tucked into his belt, and he seemed to carry the faint scent of blood.

On the other side, a young man with slightly curly hair, wearing a faded denim jacket, was looking around curiously. He even let out a low whistle. "Whoa, this place would be an awesome set for a horror movie!"

He seemed quite relaxed, a longbow slung across his back.

The last person stood in the dimmest corner, almost merging with the shadows. It was a woman in a long, dark dress. She stood tall, her demeanor calm and composed. Her face was expressionless as she silently observed her surroundings and the others.

Seraphina Sinclair almost instantly realized the difference between them. Although they were all holding Sunflowers, hers was a full size larger than theirs, making it particularly conspicuous.

The owners of the other Sunflowers looked at her with unfriendly eyes. After staring at the Sunflower in Seraphina’s arms, their gazes shifted to her face.

It was the burly man again. A clear flash of jealousy crossed his eyes. ’If he gets the chance, he’ll definitely make a move on this Sunflower!’

They were all survivors who had entered the instance together. A Sunflower that large meant its owner was surely loaded with supplies.

His gaze suddenly turned greedy as he stared intently at Seraphina Sinclair’s face.

The system prompt panel appeared once again.

[Five survivors have assembled.]

[Instance: Echoes of the Silent Keep, now officially open.]

[Main Quest: Explore the ancient keep and find the Heart of Silence.]

[Hint: Lingering resentments and ancient guardians roam the keep. They may try to mislead or obstruct you. Trust your companions, but trust your own judgment more.]

The system’s voice, cold and clear, echoed through the empty foyer, dispelling any last shred of wishful thinking.

"Hey," the bald, burly man spoke first, his voice rough. His eyes swept over everyone before finally landing on the pot in Seraphina Sinclair’s arms. "Why is your Sunflower so big?"

The burly man’s question was blunt and sharp, laced with undisguised jealousy and scrutiny. Instantly, everyone in the foyer once again focused their attention on Seraphina Sinclair... and the vibrant Sunflower in her arms, which was clearly a size larger than anyone else’s.

Seraphina Sinclair could feel the complex emotions in their gazes.

Curiosity, surprise, scrutiny, and—like that of Magnus Barrett—undisguised greed.

The Sunflower in her arms also seemed to sense the unfriendly atmosphere. Its head turned slightly to face Magnus Barrett, its leaves unconsciously tensing up.

Then, for the first time, Seraphina Sinclair heard an aggressive thought from her Sunflower.

’"Ugly monster! What are you staring at?!"’

’Huh?’

’Who taught it that?’

Before Seraphina Sinclair could recover from her shock at that sentence, she heard a second one.

’"My person! Hit him! Quick, throw that shiny paper at him!"’

Seraphina Sinclair: "..."

She expressionlessly patted the Sunflower’s leaves, hoping the "child" would settle down. Then she looked up at the burly man and said flatly, "That’s none of your business."

The burly man was taken aback. His face darkened, and he looked like he was about to lash out, but after glancing at the others, he restrained himself with a cold snort.

"Alright, alright. Since the system put us together, we’re teammates now."

The young man in the denim jacket stepped forward with a smile, trying to smooth things over. "Let me introduce myself. My name is Milo Shaw. I like to shoot a few arrows now and then. I used to be a semi-pro hunter, so I guess you could say I have a useful skill."