The Library of Unfinished Symphonies hummed with the dissonant beauty of stories that never ended. Books floated like musical notes, their spines etched with tempo markings (Allegro of Betrayal, Adagio of Unrequited Love), and the air thrummed with phantom orchestras. Lyra's ghost flickered beside a shelf labeled "Redemption in B Minor."
Lyra:"He's using you now. Every click, every comment—his new ink."
System Alert:
[New Quest: "Mute the Maestro"]
Objective: Destroy the Storyweaver's viral resurgence. Tools provided: Your trauma, a half-sharp crayon, and this sick violin solo.
Alex's Beta Reader's Glasses highlighted a pulsing manuscript—"The Storyweaver's Revival: A Crowdsourced Tragedy." Stats scrolled:
- Reader Engagement: 89% (Mostly hate-reads).
- Plot Armor Durability: 12%.
- Your Predicted Death Chapter: 189 (Finn's flag glowed brighter).
"Charming," Alex muttered. "Hey, Kairo! How do we kill a story that's literally viral?"
Kairo stared at Lyra's ghost, his scar syncing to the library's rhythm. "We don't. We… remix it."
Nyx yanked a violin from the air and snapped its neck, unleashing a Glitch Sonata. The library convulsed, shelves rearranging into a battlefield of crescendos and plot holes.
***
Battle Mechanic: [Rhythm of Ruin]
- Every attack must align with the library's tempo.
- Mismatched beats inflict [Narrative Dissonance] (HP loss + cringe).
***
Reader Poll Activated:
[Choose the Battle Theme]
A) Heavy Metal (High risk, high reward).
B) Lo-fi Hip Hop (Steady healing, slower pace).
C) K-pop (Random crits, dance breaks required).
Alex's cybernetic arm morphed into a Conductor's Baton. "Finn! Be our DJ!"
Finn hacked a floating sheet-music drone, queuing "C) K-pop" (as per real-time reader votes). The library exploded into neon beats, enemies forced into synchronized dance-offs.
Veyra materialized mid-chorus, hijacking the drone. "This bop's a flop, hero. Let's pivot." The track shifted to "A) Heavy Metal"—guitar riffs shredding the shelves.
Alex's Counter:
- Fourth Wall Break (Tier 3): Rewrote the genre to "Pirate Shanty", summoning a ghost ship to ram the drone.
- Heart-Eater Debuff: Targeted Veyra's obsession with being the "better Alex." "Face it—you're just my comment section."
Veyra's form pixelated. "You'll… you'll rot for that pun…"
***
Boss Fight: The Librarian (not Ms.Harlow)
A titan of stacked hardcovers, its eyes were overdue notices and its voice a cacophony of "SHHHHH!" waves.
Phase 1: [Fines of Damnation]
- Fired overdue notices as homing missiles (Inflict [Guilt] debuff: -30% confidence).
Alex's Author Mode spawned "Thesaurus Shield" (Absorbs pun-based attacks).
Kairo sliced melodies from the air, conducting strings that bound the Librarian.
Phase 2: [Plot Hole Vortex]
The Librarian opened a book titled "How to Disappoint Your Readers in 10 Days," sucking the group into a void of unresolved arcs.
Alex's Play:
- Used Beta Reader's Glasses to find the worst-reviewed chapter in the vortex.
- Chekhov's Rebellion: Fired the cringe chapter into the Librarian's core.
Librarian: "NO! NOT THE FILLER ARC!"
It exploded into confetti of 1-star reviews.
***
Loot Drop:
[Lyra's Lost Melody]
A spectral violin string. When used, replays a memory of Kairo's past (Teases Protocol 7.3's true purpose).
The library's ruins reformed into a cozy bookstore. The Barista (Callum) waved from behind a counter stacked with "Plot Twist Pastries."
Barista: "Hungry for a… climax?"
Behind him, a viral livestream played:"Watch the Storyweaver's 24/7 Rebirth Cam! SMASH THAT LIKE BUTTON!"
The livestream's chat scrolls: "OMG HE'S REBORN AS A VTUBER?!"
The System dinged: [Achievement: "Trending Tragedy"]. Alex facepalmed. "We're getting monetized and memed. Kill me."