Souls Online: Mythic Ascension-Chapter 442: To Mount Stone

Penny had a feeling that the destination her group was heading toward was going to spell trouble. Mount Stone was close to the Village, and the path that led there was surprisingly well maintained for a mountain trail. The dirt was packed firm, the stones flattened by countless boots and wheels, and even the occasional signpost stood at the intersections. It almost felt too safe, which, to Penny, was never a good sign.

The recent surge of higher-level players meant that hunting grounds were getting crowded, forcing players to spread out in search of better grinding spots. Monsters were being hunted faster than they could spawn, and their numbers had dwindled in this area. That was likely why, even after fifteen minutes of walking along the rugged incline, the group had not encountered a single monster.

Penny glanced at her companions. Greg walked ahead, his tall frame steady and unbothered by the uneven terrain. Rachel moved beside Aria, the two chatting quietly, while Vivian brought up the rear, her sharp eyes scanning the surrounding cliffs and brush for movement. Jamie, however, was practically bouncing with excitement. His energy felt out of place among the otherwise calm group.

"Alright everyone," Jamie suddenly announced, clapping his hands once. "This is going to be perfect."

Penny groaned internally.

Jamie tapped the small silver orb floating beside him. The orb blinked to life, its lens glowing faintly blue as it began to record. "Testing, testing. Okay, everyone, we're live!" His grin widened as he faced the orb. "Welcome, everyone, to the very first official stream of the Chaos Pantheon's first adventure! That's right, your princess has finally joined the big leagues!"

The floating orb adjusted its height automatically, framing his face perfectly.

"Ugh," Penny muttered, dragging a hand down her face.

"Is he always like this?" Vivian asked quietly.

"No idea. I really hope not." Penny replied with a sigh.

Jamie spun in a slow circle, showing off the group. "And here are my loyal comrades. Look at them! So serious, so cool! Our team is stacked, chat, absolutely stacked!" He winked toward the lens. "You better clip this. This is the start of our legend. The adventures of the Chaos Pantheon, live on stream!"

The orb began to rotate, trying to capture everyone's faces. But before it could complete the shot, a large hand suddenly appeared in front of the camera.

Greg's hand. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"That's enough," Greg said firmly, his tone quiet but commanding. "Put it away."

Jamie frowned. "What? Why? This is content gold! Think of the views!"

"Not a good idea to record out here," Greg replied. "We don't know what's waiting ahead, and the last thing we need is you distracted."

Jamie crossed his arms with a pout. "Greggy is such a buzzkill."

Greg exhaled through his nose and gave him a look that could silence an army. "Out here, you call me Titan."

Aria shifted awkwardly beside them, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "He's just being considerate of me, that's all."

Jamie glanced between the two of them, confusion written all over his face. "How does that have anything to do with you?"

Greg didn't answer. His eyes flicked toward Aria briefly before settling back on Jamie. That single look was enough to make Jamie gulp. Under Greg's stern glare, the streamer sighed in defeat and flicked his fingers. The recording orb dimmed and returned to standby mode.

Rachel smiled faintly. "You don't have to tell him right now," she said softly to Aria. "You can wait until you feel comfortable."

Aria shook her head slowly. "No. It's fine. He's one of us now. He deserves to know."

Jamie perked up instantly, curiosity written all over his face. "Wait, know what?"

Aria stopped walking. The others did the same, the soft crunch of gravel underfoot fading into silence. She took a deep breath, her chest rising and falling as she gathered her thoughts. When she opened her eyes again, there was a calm resolve in them that made even Greg pause.

"While my real name is Aria," she began slowly, "I have another name people might recognize. I'm also known as Ari Eversong." Her voice softened as she continued. "The singer."

Jamie blinked. Once. Twice. His jaw dropped. "Wait, wait, wait. Hold up." He looked around, expecting someone to laugh, to tell him it was a joke. But everyone else stood there, calm and unbothered.

"You're kidding," he said finally, his voice trembling. "Ari Eversong? The Ari Eversong?"

Aria smiled a little, almost embarrassed. "Yeah. That one."

Jamie's hands flew to his hair as he stared at her in disbelief. "Oh my god! You're my favorite singer! I had posters, I listened to every album—wait, that means—" His eyes widened. "I always thought you were too pretty to be a boy!"

Aria winced slightly, looking away. "Ari was my father's idea," she admitted quietly. "He wanted a son and made me act and dress like one. When I returned, I did it under his terms. But when I go back… I'll do it as myself."

Jamie's eyes shimmered with awe. "That's… amazing." He stepped closer, his excitement reigniting like a spark catching fire. "Then I'll be your biggest supporter! I'll be your number one fan, forever!"

Penny snorted. "Nice try, but that spot's already taken."

Jamie whipped around. "Excuse me?"

Penny folded her arms and smirked. "Aria's number one fan is me. Always has been."

Jamie gasped dramatically. "Impossible! There's no way anyone loves her music more than me!"

Penny puffed up her chest. "Oh yeah? Name her third album."

Jamie blinked, caught off guard. "Uh… the one with the blue cover?"

"Ha!" Penny grinned triumphantly. "Fake fan."

Jamie scowled. "Well I only buy the deluxe vinyl albums. I don't buy the basic CD's. I'm someone who only gets the best!"

Rachel burst into laughter, clutching her stomach as the two smallest members of the party continued to bicker. Aria's cheeks turned pink as she tried to hide her face behind her hands. The sight of them fighting over her was both flattering and deeply awkward.

Before their argument could escalate, Rachel stepped forward, still smiling. "Alright, you two can duel for that title later. Preferably when we're not halfway up a mountain."

Penny huffed. Jamie folded his arms. Aria just sighed with a faint, amused smile.

Vivian, quiet as ever, watched from the back of the group with an unreadable expression. Having companions who could argue and laugh so freely was strange to her. Strange, but not unpleasant.

Greg resumed walking, his steps steady. He didn't say anything, but his gaze softened for a moment as he looked over his shoulder at them. Without Leo's presence, someone else had to take the lead. He had assumed it would fall on him, but to his surprise, it was Rachel who had naturally stepped into that role.

She who was usually the one cracking jokes and causing chaos indiscriminately was now stopping fights before they started and lifted the tension when the air grew heavy. It was… impressive.

The group continued along the winding trail, the sound of wind whistling through the mountain passes blending with their footsteps. For a moment, the atmosphere was light, almost peaceful.