Mochi's back sank into an unfamiliar roughness as her eyes fluttered open. She blinked at the hay-filled rectangular bed beneath her and the cramped walls pressing against her aching shoulders.
Everything hurt.
Her hand rose to clutch her throbbing head, her throat raw from panting, her body sticky with sweat. This was more physical exertion than she'd endured in years.
Her fingers traced her cracked lips, coming away with flakes of dried blood - from her gnawed tongue, yes, but mostly from that devastating slap.
With a groan, she let her cheek fall back onto the hay. "System. Status."
That guard's Wind Palm to her stomach had barely registered. But a single slap taking 66 HP? Mochi snorted through her swollen lips. Playing mysterious now, aren't we?
"And the rewards?"
<...computing...>
Inventory slots? Like the hotbar in Valiant Thief? Mochi exhaled sharply. She'd nearly died for basic functionality. But complaining was pointless - like a speedrunner mourning a patched glitch.
Time to be pragmatic.
The System clearly wasn't some dumb program - it had reported the guard's approach in real-time. Summoning her remaining strength, Mochi flopped onto her back. "System. Current location."
<...loading...>
The Guildmaster? That bearded old windbag who wouldn't shut up about his daughter? Mochi's arm draped over her eyes.
In the game, speedrunners could trigger early Guild access by glitching through walls to meet him. Until she'd found another speedrun route to make the whole Guild irrelevant - resulting in her first world record.
<...loading...>
Mochi's frown deepened. One minute she's fighting basic mobs, now she's supposed to take on the final boss? The same boss who'd been her in-game employer for a thousand playthroughs?
"Well, shit."
She forced herself upright, wincing as her back protested. Time to reassess. The dusty walls, cracked floor, and moonlit window suggested a prison cell - but definitely a Thief Guild hideout. At least the System wasn't lying about that.
But why was the Guildmaster suddenly an enemy?
"System. Explain."
<...computing...>
Mochi's fingers clawed into the hay. "Don't give me that customer service bullshit. I know you're sentient."
She swallowed against her dry throat. "Look, aside from the bloodlust screwing with my head, I've been cooperative. The least you can do is explain why I need to kill that old man."
Silence.
"System? Hello? I'm not refusing, but I need context to reroute my-"
<...Host, please...>
Mochi froze.
Please?
Had she hallucinated that? Was bloodlust affecting her seeing?
"What the fuck?" Her voice cracked. The all-powerful System that dragged her here was... begging?
<...>
Mochi's breath hitched as her gaze snapped to the door. The knob turned once. Twice. Each metallic click sent tremors through her battered body. The System's dread was palpable - but how could that sentimental old man inspire such fear?
The door creaked open, revealing a sliver of purple fabric glowing in moonlight.
Not an old man.
A tall woman stepped through, her violet silks shimmering, golden eyes sharp with predatory amusement. She surveyed Mochi like a cat watching a wounded bird.
Mochi choked on a laugh. What a welcoming committee. God, she missed the days when her biggest problem was crying over her parents' deaths.